Nothing's Changed
by venusnv80
Summary: The gang decides to resurrect Bonnie and Damon with a result that they did not exactly plan for. What happens when everyone expects things to be the same, when it is clear-something definitely has changed.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello All! I know I am not done with Kaleidoscope, but I had this little plot in my head and decided to try it out. I know that there are a million and one 'After The White Light..' fics concerning Bamon, but I wanted to give this a try and see how it pans out with my vision of what happened or could happen (the plot is slightly taken from Buffy's resurrection on BTVS). As always, I love your support and I appreciate you reading. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Bonnie Bennett stood in front of the tombstone bearing Damon Salvatore's name. She hugged her body as she stared down at the grass growing over the grave. She shook her head as the tears fell from her eyes, "I'm all alone here…please…come back", she cried as stood looking down and then up at the stars.

_Two weeks previously_

"This is going to work, I know it will", Elena Gilbert nodded confidently as the witches stood around in a circle. They were standing in the Mystic Falls cemetery at night, by the graves of Damon Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett. Six months had drifted by since they attempted to get rid of the Travelers and Damon and Bonnie were casualties of that war.

"It _will_ work", Caroline Forbes hugged Elena as the witches continued to chat.

Stefan Salvatore looked down at the two tombstones erected next to each other, like shrines to the two people that lay below the soil. The fancy tombstones even included pictures of Damon and Bonnie. He couldn't help but chuckle about Bonnie being oh so happy being next to Damon for all eternity.

Bonnie's mother wanted to bury her in Seattle where she was now living, but Elena and Caroline convinced her to bury Bonnie in Mystic Falls and the gang also thought it would be fitting if their two heroes were buried next to each other.

"How long will this take?" Tyler Lockwood asked impatiently.

"As long as it takes", Lucy Bennett, Bonnie's cousin paused from chanting to say and sending Tyler such a glare that he knew, it was best to be quiet—especially in his human state.

When the witches stopped chanting, Elena looked down at the ground, "That's it?"

"That's it", Lucy replied.

"Well shouldn't they be doing something? Like coming up out of the ground?" Caroline asked.

"That spell has never been used before, raising the dead is not exactly a business that is down to an exact science and the fact that we even did this spell may have some horrible repercussions for us", Lucy explained, "but you explained what happened to my cousin and the fact that she got a raw deal made me want to help…and um…well, I guess the Damon guy was is just a bonus for you all".

"Thank you for your help Lucy", Stefan stepped forward.

Elena continued to look down at the graves. Every moment that went by felt like an eternity. There was no sign of movement, no sounds…nothing. The gang wasn't sure exactly what Bonnie and Damon would look like when they returned. Afterall, Damon's body was burned beyond recognition and Bonnie's body, although in tact, it had been six months since she died permanently.

"Are you sure that this worked?" Elena asked turning to Lucy.

"One can never know Elena".

Elena sighed, "There is no way our hopes could rise so far and be destroyed, no way", she shook her head as Stefan hugged her around her shoulders.

SSSSSS

Beneath the soil and below the feet of their friends in Mystic Falls, a body was starting to be put back together. Ligaments, arteries and organs were starting to form again. Skin started to cover the bones and hair began to grow out of the top of the head. Finally, green eyes opened.

"Where…", Bonnie said softly as her eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings. She lifted her hand up and hit the top of a hard surface and then she realized, that she couldn't breathe, "help…help me", she pleaded as she began to beat on the top of the coffin.

SSSSSS

"Do you hear that?" Elena asked as she looked down at the graves.

Stefan and Caroline listened and that's when the heard it; the faint whispers of their friend and scratching. Immediately, Stefan and Caroline dropped down to their knees with Elena's help and they began to rapidly dig in the soil. They could hear Bonnie screaming help louder and louder the deeper they got and when they finally reached the coffin that she lay in, they broke the locks on the edges and the coffin was opened to reveal Bonnie. She looked panicked, but to Elena and Caroline, she looked perfect.

"Bonnie!" Caroline said grabbing her and wrapping her arms around her.

"Oh my god, you are back…you're alive!" Elena joined in on the hug.

Bonnie looked around, slightly dazed and unfocused. She knew that she was in the cemetery, but she felt a sense of disconnect.

Stefan lifted her out of the hole as Lucy quickly walked over to her, "Once again we meet cousin", she smirked as she hugged Bonnie as she continued to look around. She was in Mystic Falls, but something about this did not seem right.

"Damon", Bonnie whispered.

"Where's Damon, it should have worked for him", Elena said turning to his grave.

It was untouched and no sounds were coming from it. They all turned to look at Damon's grave as tears fell from Elena's eyes. Bonnie gazed at Damon's tombstone and felt the lump in her throat form. "No…", she whispered.

SSSSSS

After almost 2 hours of waiting in the cemetery, Stefan was able to coax Elena away from Damon's grave and he brought both Bonnie and Elena to the boarding house. Bonnie felt as if she was in a tunnel the entire time. From the cemetery to the drive to the boarding house, things just felt…false.

As she sat in the back seat listening to Elena's quiet sobs and Stefan's clench and unclench his jaw try to stop himself from crying, she felt their pain.

"Bonnie, we're glad you're back", Stefan replied looking at her in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, Bonnie…I'm happy to have you back. We tried to bring you guys back for months and nothing worked and finally tonight, we were able to bring you back and I am grateful for that, I just wish that Damon had…", Elena trailed off into tears.

Bonnie felt her eyes well up into tears and she nodded.

SSSSSS

"Your mom sold your house a couple of months ago", Elena said as she handed Bonnie pajamas to put on.

Bonnie took the pajamas without a word.

"So I thought it would be easier for you to come here since its familiar", Elena smiled crookedly.

Bonnie nodded, "This is probably better", she stated quietly.

"Bonnie, I'm happy that your back. I missed you soo much!" Elena hugged her tightly.

Bonnie let Elena hug her and then she returned the hug slowly, "I missed you too", feeling as if she was telling the biggest lie she's even told in her life.

SSSSSS

After lying in bed for hours and not drifting to sleep, Bonnie found herself in the Salvatore living room staring at the fire burning. "Can't sleep?" Stefan's voice drifted from behind her.

"Oh…I'm sorry…actually no, this is just…different", Bonnie replied, "I know its been, what six months? I just feel like I was gone for so much longer".

Stefan nodded, "We really missed you".

Bonnie nodded, "I missed you all too".

"Jeremy's coming in to town tomorrow, he and Alaric have been on some kind of spiritual journey since you…umm…"

"Died", Bonnie supplied.

"Yes", he nodded, "I know that he will be happy to see you".

Bonnie nodded.

"Where were you?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie shrugged, "I'm not quite sure".

"Was Damon with you?"

Bonnie turned to Stefan, "No…we were separated".

"Oh", Stefan replied disappointed, "I know that he only went to the Other Side because of me".

"Well you know, Damon always wanted to be the hero in his own self righteous, sociopathic way", Bonnie smirked.

Stefan nodded, "I really wish that we could have brought you guys back sooner, what was it like?"

Bonnie closed her eyes for a moment and looked at Stefan, "I don't remember".

He searched her eyes for a moment as if he knew that she was lying to him, but he let the moment go. He nodded, "Do you mind if I sit here with you for a couple of hours?"

Bonnie shook her head, "No not at all, but don't take offense if I don't speak. I don't know how to…I don't know what to say anymore, honestly".

"It's ok…".

Bonnie turned from Stefan and looked back at the fire.

SSSSSS

The next morning, Bonnie woke up to Jeremy's voice downstairs in the living room. "Where is she! Where is Bonnie!" he shouted in the foyer.

Bonnie listened to him question Elena and Stefan as she stared at the ceiling with her hands folded. A few months ago or at least, when she first arrived on the other side, she would have rushed down the stairs into Jeremy's arms and now? She just felt like a stranger in her own life.

She heard him running up the stairs towards her door and she braced herself as the door opened and Jeremy stood in the doorway. "Bonnie!" he breathed as he rushed over to her, grabbed both of her cheeks and brought her into a kiss.

She held onto him as tears left her eyes, she was waiting to feel something but her feelings would not surface.

"Bon…I'm so happy that you're back. I missed you! I thought…I thought we would never get another chance".

"I know Jeremy".

"And now that you're back, we can be together and we have forever now…right? No anchor, no angel…I can touch you and everything", Jeremy beamed.

Bonnie smiled back with her smile not quite meeting her eyes.

SSSSSS

"I really don't understand why it didn't work for Damon", Elena shook her head as she sat across from Bonnie at the dinner table with Stefan, Caroline and Jeremy.

"Probably because he's burning in hell", Jeremy replied.

"Jeremy!" Elena squeaked.

"We're sitting here acting as if he was in the same place as Bonnie and that's not possible. Damon only cared about one or two people…or scratch that…he only cared about himself, so we all know why he didn't come back when Bonnie did. He never sacrificed anything, he only helped when it could benefit him!" Jeremy ranted.

"He did help in the end", Bonnie replied quietly as she pushed her food around on the plate.

Jeremy turned to look at Bonnie along with everyone else, but she didn't say another word as she put food in her mouth.

SSSSSS

Later that night, Bonnie glanced at Jeremy sleeping next to her and slid out of bed. She slipped on her jacket and headed out of the room. She tiptoed down the steps knowing that Stefan and Elena were out hunting and wouldn't be back for hours. She grabbed Elena's car keys off of the hook and headed out to her Prius.

Bonnie drove for at least 20 minutes before arriving at the cemetery. She parked the car and headed through the cemetery to the familiar gravesite. The place she hadn't been in a couple of days. She looked over at the tombstone with her name and shook her head. There's only but so many times you can stare at your own tombstone. The ground was packed nicely as if she had not been freed from it days before.

She turned to Damon's tombstone and kneeled down. She removed the leaves that had fallen on top of the tombstone and smirked, "So I never thought I would say this", she chuckled and then she immediately frowned, "I don't like it here anymore. I don't want to be here anymore. I am jealous and angry at you all at the same time for not being here. It's not fair. How is it that everyone believes or at least Jeremy does, that you're in some kind of hell…when in reality…", Bonnie looked around, "I'm the one in hell".

SSSSSS

_Two Weeks Later_

"So Bonnie do you want to go back to Whitmore or do you want to take some time off and start again next semester?" Caroline asked as she and Bonnie sat at the new Mystic Falls Bistro.

Bonnie shifted the lettuce in her salad, "I think I'm just going to take it day by day".

Caroline nodded, "So you haven't said anything but…how was it, wherever you were?"

Bonnie thought for a moment, "I really don't remember".

"You don't, was your memory wiped when we brought you back?"

Bonnie shrugged, "I guess so. It just seems like nothing has changed here…I mean, things are quieter I guess".

"And you and Jeremy are back together and you should be happy, but I never see you smile!" Caroline stated exasperated.

"I'm sorry, its like I was in some kind of coma or something for the past six months and now I'm back and…"

"Everything's changed?"

"No, nothing's changed here. You're still my crazy, happy neurotic friend. Elena is still obsessed over one of the Salvatores, Jeremy loves me and my mom still can't find the time to come see me…nothing has changed".

"But isn't that a good thing. We can just pick up where we left off", Caroline smiled touching Bonnie's hands.

"I know…its just taking me some time that's all, I'm sure I will be the same Bonnie in a couple of weeks", she smiled back at Caroline.

SSSSSS

Later that evening, Bonnie stood in front of the tombstone bearing Damon's name. She hugged her body as she stared down at the grass growing over the grave. She shook her head as the tears fell from her eyes, "I'm all alone here…please…come back", she cried as stood looking down and then up at the stars.

She sat down in front of the tombstone, "You know, I never thought I would say this, but I want to be with you at our favorite place doing absolutely nothing. Well not exactly nothing, listening to the stories where you make yourself the hero or the stories that make you seem like a jackass. I miss that. I miss that we didn't have to worry about anyone or anything. We could be ourselves with no problems and you could be your true self…the Damon not competing with his brother…you are the only one who understands now and you need to come back, it's not fair that you're there and I'm…here…not after everything…oh and you will be interested to know that apparently, I came back as the Bonnie who can do magic again, interesting huh?" she said causing leaves to fly around her.

Bonnie stared at Damon's name for a few moments and then stood up from the grave, "You need to come back", she replied.

She turned to walk away and suddenly she felt as if the ground was shifting below her. She turned around as the wind began to pick up around her and she noticed that the ground began to cave in. She fell to the ground as she moved her hair from her face as she saw the dirt and the grass start to fall within the hole.

Suddenly Bonnie noticed a pale hand reach from below the soil and grip onto the ground. She crawled over and touched the hand…she knew. She grabbed the hand and suddenly she saw his dirty face and she felt a since of relief that she hadn't felt since she opened her eyes in that coffin two weeks before.

She helped him climb out of the hole and both gasped for air when they sat on top of the soil. She looked into his blue eyes and he looked at her, "What took you so long?" she breathed heavily.

He looked at her and grabbed her face to his before bringing her into a passionate kiss and she felt, for the first time in a long time that things were going to be ok.

**So next chapter will explain how Bonnie and Damon's relationship changed while they were 'dead'. One thing is for sure, the title is the mantra that Bonnie and Damon will live by until ONE of them can't handle it anymore. **

**Let me know how you feel about this and I will continue on. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you soo much for the overwhelming response to the first chapter! I was a little hesitant because there are so many fics right now, but you all definitely showed me that you are interested and you want to read my little ideas. Thank you and I appreciated it so much, you have no idea. **

**Now, one thing: I will have flashbacks between Bamon in their 'Other World' and Present Day. **

**Disclaimer: I own nada. **

_Six Months Before…_

"Bonnie…wake up…Bonnie!" she heard from above her and then the gentle smack to her face. Bonnie opened her eyes to see Damon's face in hers.

"I'm in hell right?" she deadpanned as she sat up and pushed him away.

"Does this look like hell?" Damon asked standing up and looking around their current surroundings.

"If you're here and I'm dead, this must be hell because I _refuse_ to believe that we would end up in the same place", she replied standing up and looking around, "wait…this can't be…"

"Yup, looks like we ended up right back in Mystic Falls", Damon smirked.

"But I don't understand how that's possible, we went into the white light".

"And maybe Mystic Falls was heaven all along".

Bonnie glared at him as she noticed the ruins of Fells Church right behind them. She turned around, "This doesn't make any sense…I mean, we went into the white light right?"

"We did".

"And somehow we end up in front of the church?" Bonnie asked.

"Looks like it, so maybe we should make our way to town and see if our friends are happy to see us", Damon grinned.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "This isn't right, the other side was just like this…"

"Only the Other Side Bonnie B. disintegrated into nothingness".

Bonnie looked around. She knew that the Other Side was gone and she remembered speaking to Grams and her last words to her, but something was just not right.

"Well its not like we have a car, would you happen to have a cell phone on you?" Bonnie asked.

"No, sorry when the car that I was driving blew up, I think the iphone was a casualty".

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Then I guess we're hitchhiking or walking to town".

"Guess so…or maybe I can carry you and run…", Damon replied looking at Bonnie up and down, "that's if I can actually carry you, how much do you weigh again".

Bonnie narrowed her eyes as she gave him the finger walking towards the clearing.

"Hey Bon, Bon…I don't think that's allowed in heaven", Damon called after her.

SSSSSS

After walking at least a mile, Bonnie felt like she would collapse. The shoes that she chose to wear on the day she died were less than comfortable.

"Come on Bons or I will be forced to leave you and come back for you".

"Whatever", Bonnie mumbled as Damon smirked at her and then starting running, only he didn't get as far as he thought he would.

"Wait…something isn't right", Damon replied.

"Looks like this is heaven, someone doesn't have his vampire powers", Bonnie smirked as she walked up to him.

"We need to find Stefan, so he can turn me back".

"Right", Bonnie replied as she noticed a car coming up the road, "you stay back there and say nothing".

"Hitchhiking Bonnie, we could be killed".

"And what…be sent to another Mystic Falls?"

Bonnie held out her hand waving as the car began to slow down. When the car stopped in front of her, the driver rolled down the window and immediately Bonnie found herself speechless. She opened and closed her mouth several times unable to say a word as her eyes widened.

"Excuse me Sir, our car broke down the road and we are in need of a ride into town, would you be so kind?" Damon asked as he glanced at Bonnie, who appeared to be mute.

The driver raised an eyebrow, "I guess…how far?"

"Umm…to City Hall at least", Damon replied.

"Ok, get in", the driver said.

Damon turned to look at Bonnie, "Way to take initiative", he mumbled.

"You…you don't know him?" Bonnie whispered.

Damon looked back at the driver who was drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, "No, should I?"

"Are you coming because I really have to go", the driver said.

"Yes, we're coming. My companion here has had a rough couple of days", Damon stated staring at Bonnie with wide eyes.

Damon opened the back door and gestured for Bonnie to get inside. She slid in the backseat staring at the driver and Damon as he climbed in beside him.

"Thank you for your kindness, what's your name Sir?" Damon asked.

"William Tanner", the driver replied as he pulled away from the side of the road.

Bonnie felt like the walls were closing in on her in the car as she gripped the seat. This wasn't possible. It _can't _be possible, she thought. She watched as Mr. Tanner and Damon made small talk. She went back and forth between feeling as if this was a bad, bad dream to wondering if Damon was so depraved that he couldn't remember all of his murder victims. She wasn't sure what Grams had done or where she was, but she knew that this place was not Mystic Falls.

SSSSSS

As the car pulled up in front of City Hall, Damon opened his door, "Thank you for the lift William, we really appreciate it", Damon smiled as he closed the door to the car and Mr. Tanner gave a wave as he pulled away, "what in the hell is wrong with you?" Damon asked turning to Bonnie, "I had to sit there and make ridiculous small talk with a stranger because you suddenly lost your ability to speak, which could be an asset at times but…"

"You didn't recognize him?" Bonnie asked.

"Recognize who…the driver?" Damon asked looking towards the car as it disappeared.

"Are you that sick that you don't remember who you murder in cold blood?"

Damon raised an eyebrow as he had a vision. He remembered, the school parking lot…during a football game…proving a point to Stefan…ripping into skin, "Wait…that was the teacher from the high school, wait…I killed him", Damon replied.

Bonnie widened her eyes and gave him a 'Duh' look, "Yes you did, but apparently he's alive here, wherever this is and he didn't recognize us".

"We need to get to the boarding house, I'm sure there's still cabs around here", Damon stated looking around.

Bonnie turned and then paused, "Mystic Grille, it's still standing".

Damon looked at the restaurant standing in front of them, looking as new as the night that he and Elena crashed into it, "This doesn't make any sense", Damon replied heading towards the front door as Bonnie followed behind him.

When they reached inside, the Grille was filled with customers laughing and eating. No one turned around and noticed Bonnie and Damon standing there. "This is really weird", Bonnie replied.

"Do you need help finding a table?" a female voice said from behind them.

Bonnie immediately recognized the voice and Damon closed his eyes as he turned around as well, "Vicki?" Bonnie asked.

Vicki Donovan stood in front of them without any indication of recognition, "Yessss", she replied slowly.

"You don't remember me?" Bonnie asked.

Vicki looked at her and then at Damon, "Should I? Now, do you need a table or not?"

Bonnie was speechless as Damon spoke, "Yes, we do…two please".

Vicki nodded as she picked up two menus and escorted them to a booth. Bonnie looked around and recognized some people, but there was no indication that they recognized her. "Can I get you anything?" Vicki asked.

Bonnie felt like the walls were closing in and she gasped for breath as Damon glanced at her, "Give us a minute Babe", he smirked.

Vicki smiled and nodded, "I will give you a few minutes", and she disappeared.

Damon looked at Bonnie who had a death grip on her napkin, "Can you please try to act normal?" Damon whispered.

"Are you serious?" Bonnie hissed, "we're in some alternate world of Mystic Falls and all of your victims are here to haunt us. I don't understand how _I_ ended up here with you".

Damon looked around, "They don't recognize us".

"No, they don't and I don't think that's a good thing either".

"For me? It is. Like you said, these are people that I had…_disagreements_ with".

"People who you victimized, this is not heaven…I don't know what this is", Bonnie shook her head.

"Well try to act normal until we find out because if you keep acting like a space cadet, they may ship you off to some kind of mental hospital", Damon whispered.

Bonnie shook her head, "Damon, do you not get it…I thought…I thought that I would finally have some peace. I don't know what that was supposed to be, but I thought that whenever I ended up, I would find some happiness. Being back in Mystic Falls with all of these…_ghosts_…does not give me any kind of happiness, it just reminds me of all of the heartache and…"

"Problems that we Salvatores caused by coming into your life and Elena's life", Damon finished.

Bonnie looked at Damon and she saw a softening somewhat and she sat back, "I just don't understand", Bonnie said quietly, "that's all".

"Hey, are you two ready yet?" Vicki asked coming back over.

"We will take two cheeseburger specials, a coke for the lady here and I want a beer…whatever you have on tap", Damon ordered.

"Ok…", Vicki took notes.

"And where just passing through town to visit one of my family members…"

"Oh you two are together?" Vicki asked disappointed.

"No, we're just friends", Bonnie replied quickly.

"Oh great!" Vicki smiled wide at Damon and Bonnie felt like she would vomit.

"So like I said, I was hoping to drop by a family member's place while I'm in town…the Salvatore Boarding House", Damon replied.

Vicki wrinkled her nose, "Seriously, you're related to that guy?"

"Sadly", Damon winked.

"Yes…hmm…well the house is not far from here. I will write the address down for you and also my phone number".

Bonnie felt like she would vomit as Vicki batted her eyelashes and basically skipped away.

"You are disgusting", Bonnie deadpanned with her arms crossed.

"Are you jealous".

"Absolutely not. I am just appalled that you can even look her in the face after what you did to her".

"Bonnie Bennett, I'm just being friendly".

Bonnie rolled her eyes as Vicki brought over their food.

SSSSSS

After leaving the Grille, Bonnie and Damon rented a car (with wallets that surprisingly had all of their credit cards and money inside) and headed towards the Salvatore Boarding House. "Something has to be the same…Stefan at least will be here", Damon replied trying to sound as confident as possible.

"When we get there I will call Elena and we can…I don't know, figure this out".

Damon nodded as they turned up the dirt road towards the Salvatore Boarding House. A part of Damon wanted to believe that Stefan would be there, but he had a feeling that wouldn't go away, that in this Mystic Falls—there was no Stefan or Elena.

When he parked the car, he saw a car parked in the driveway. "What are we going to do if we knock on the door and he doesn't know us?" Bonnie asked as she and Damon exited the car.

"We will deal with that if it happens", Damon replied as he peered in the window and then knocked on the door.

Damon heard footsteps on the other side of the door and when it opened, he wasn't prepared for the face staring back at him, "Zach?" he asked.

Bonnie looked at the man standing in the doorway. She recognized him slightly, but she couldn't figure out where.

"Do I know you?" Zach asked.

"Umm…Zachariah Salvatore?" Damon asked.

"Yes, do I know you?"

Damon, for the first time since opening his eyes in this Mystic Falls, found himself speechless.

"Zach, what's going on…who's at the door?" another voice said from the shadows.

Damon shook his head as he backed away from the door. That voice. It had to be a figment of his imagination.

Bonnie looked up at Damon, who looked as if he was turning green. She saw another man walking towards the door and when he came into view, she was completely clueless. He was rather handsome, older but she had no idea why Damon appeared to be sick.

"Uncle Joe, I think these two are looking for a room or something", Zach answered.

Damon blinked. This has to be some kind of nightmare or maybe this was hell.

"A room, well we have the best boarding house in town, I'm Giuseppe Salvatore, but everyone around here calls me Joe", the man said holding out his hand for Damon to shake.

Damon shook his head, "No…this is not possible", he said turning and heading down the steps, with Bonnie following behind him.

_Present Day_

"Did you search all over for her?" Jeremy asked as he paced the living room.

"Yes, we searched all night and we couldn't find her", Stefan replied.

"I thought maybe she went to her old house just to look at it or something, but there was no trace of her", Elena shook her head, "but she's coming back Jer, she won't disappear again".

"You don't know that. You're not even sure how she came back in the first place or if she's here to stay".

"Jeremy, Lucy said that this was a resurrection, Bonnie's not going anywhere", Stefan reassured the younger Gilbert.

"I just…I don't want to lose her again".

"And you won't", Elena answered.

Jeremy shook his head, "You haven't noticed. She doesn't even act as if she is back. She acts as if she's in another world. She acts as if this is not where she wants to be", he choked up.

"Of course she does, she's just dealing with being back that's all", Elena hugged him as she heard the front door open.

Jeremy wriggled out of her embrace and headed for the door with Stefan and Elena in tow. When they reached the foyer, they all stopped. Bonnie was walking in the house with Damon behind her. Elena's eyes instantly filled with tears and she ran over to Damon. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, "Oh my god, you're back!" she breathed, "you're back!"

Damon slowly wrapped his arms around her as he noticed Stefan tearing up.

"Bonnie, we've been looking for you for hours", Jeremy said turning Bonnie around to hug her.

"I'm sorry, I just needed some air", Bonnie mumbled as she let Jeremy go and turned back to see Stefan and Damon embracing.

"Welcome back Brother", Stefan said as he choked up.

Damon hugged Stefan back and then his eyes met Bonnie's and she gave him a half smile or as much as a smile as she could.

"How…how are you back?" Elena beamed as she stared at Damon.

"I'm not quite sure", Damon replied as they moved into the living room, "I opened my eyes and I found myself in the coffin and I dug myself out, when I broke through the ground…Bonnie was standing in the cemetery", Damon looked over at Bonnie.

"You were at the cemetery?" Jeremy asked, "why?"

Bonnie opened her mouth, but Stefan began speaking, "It doesn't matter, we have Bonnie and Damon back and that's what we wanted in the end, right?"

"Yes", Elena said hugging Damon again, "this is perfect, everything is great again…I'm so happy that your back", Elena held on tightly to Damon.

"So am I", Damon replied staring at Bonnie with a look that no one noticed but one other person in the room.

SSSSSS

After a day of talking and getting reacquainted with Elena, Damon walked downstairs to the kitchen where Stefan was sitting on a stool drinking a cup of blood. Bonnie and Jeremy went to a movie at Jeremy's urging, so the house was fairly quiet.

"Do you want a cup?" Stefan asked.

"Apparently, when I came back, my vampirism was left in tact", Damon said taking the cup from Stefan and smirking.

"And some aspects of your personality, I see".

Damon winked.

"You know…", Stefan began, "I never wanted to leave you behind, Bonnie was in pain and I just reached out and touched her and…"

"I know. Trust me brother, I know you and I know that you would not have left, if you weren't forced to".

"You know, as much time as we spent at each other's throats, I missed you".

Damon looked at Stefan, "My witty charm was missed?"

Stefan chuckled, "Definitely".

"I missed you as well, I was missing my brooding conscience around".

Stefan smirked, "So you remember what happened when you were gone because Bonnie said that she doesn't remember what happened".

Damon sipped his blood, "We were in different places".

Stefan studied Damon's face, "Really?"

"Yes, why do you think it took so long for me to return?"

Stefan thought for a moment, "Were you happy where you were?" he asked finally.

Damon met Stefan's eyes, "How could I have been without you there?" Damon answered.

_Six Months Before…_

Bonnie chased Damon down the stairs of the boarding house, "What's going on, who are those two men…distant cousins or something?" Bonnie asked grabbing Damon's arm.

"The man who answered the door, is my great, great, great whatever nephew Zach and that other man…", Damon paused to catch his breath, "was Giuseppe Salvatore, my father…and Stefan's father".

Bonnie's mouth dropped as she turned to the door where the two men were staring at them with confused looks.

Bonnie turned back to Damon, "Ok, this just got really weird".

"Very and I can't stay in that house with that man", Damon replied.

Bonnie heard something in Damon's voice that she never heard before…it sounded like regret,. "Then…I guess we're not staying here", Bonnie answered finally.

Damon looked down at her with a surprised look and nodded as Bonnie turned to walk towards Zach and Giuseppe and spoke to them. He wasn't sure if this was heaven or hell, but looking at his father glancing at him as Bonnie spoke to them, he felt like this was definitely hell.

_Present Day_

Bonnie sat on the edge of the bed in the guest room alone at the Salvatore house with her eyes closed for a few moments breathing deeply. Ever since she came in with Damon earlier, Jeremy refused to let her out of his sight. She understood to some degree why he wanted to make sure she didn't disappear, but he was smothering her. She knew that he was happy to see and that they had a 2nd chance (or was it a 4th chance), but things were…

"You told them you don't remember anything", Damon's voice broke through her thoughts.

She opened her eyes and stood up to face him, "I didn't want to answer any questions".

"About what exactly?"

"About where we were…how it was…how we…", Bonnie began but stopped.

"How close we became?" Damon asked slowly removing her hair from her face and caressing her cheek.

Bonnie felt tingles through her body as she allowed his hand to linger before moving away, "We…that was then".

"Bonnie, are you really going to act as if everything is the same?"

"Isn't that what you did earlier, you and Elena disappeared for hours…"

"Bonnie…"

"Damon, its fine. Trust me, I know what its like to come back here and have someone who loves you and wants your relationship to pick up where it left off", Bonnie replied.

Damon's jaw clenched, "It was 6 months, Bonnie".

"I know", Bonnie answered.

"And I haven't forgotten a thing".

Bonnie looked at Damon as she had a memory of him kissing her in the cemetery earlier, "Neither have I, but we can't...", she began and then sighed, "we're back now and we owe it to Jeremy and Elena to be the Bonnie and Damon that they fought to get back and wanted alive so badly".

Damon looked down at Bonnie, "If that's what you want".

"That's what has to happen", Bonnie answered.

Damon nodded as he brushed past her, "Then I understand", he answered as he headed out of the room closing the door behind him.

Bonnie looked towards the closed door and her eyes filled with tears as she covered them crying silently.

Damon walked down the hallway, "Bonnie Bennett, there is no way that you are getting your way this time", he mumbled heading down the stairs.

**Well the angst has only just begun. Who will crack first? Damon or Bonnie? And what exactly will happen when they crack? Also, back in the Other Mystic Falls, what exactly is the place? Heaven or Hell or a place to heal relationships? Damon is seeing ghosts of his past…will Bonnie? And how did Bonnie and Damon get to the point of kisses and caressing cheeks…all will be answered. **

**Please show your love or like for this fic. Thank you for your support, favorites, follows, messages, reviews and just reading. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you, thank you for the overwhelming response to this. Your responses and encouraging words keep me writing. **

**I know that Bonnie is still putting others feelings over hers, but that may not last for long…lessons were learned…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

_Present Day_

"So things are getting back to normal?" Caroline asked as she, Elena and Bonnie sat outside at the new Mystic Bistro in the center of town.

Bonnie concentrated on her smoothie mostly. The past week since Damon returned, had been torture to say the least. He was always throwing her looks or making comments about their time together. She was honestly trying her best to push everything that she remembered behind her, but it was hard. She realized that what happened when she and Damon were dead was just that…something that happened, things had not changed since they came back to Mystic Falls. Although things were calmer in Mystic Falls at the moment, she could not help but wait for the other shoe to drop.

"Not really, I mean…Bonnie and Jeremy are in happy relationship bliss", Elena smiled as Caroline knocked Bonnie's shoulder and Bonnie smiled slightly, "but Damon…I don't know, he's different".

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked as Bonnie looked up at Elena.

Elena shrugged, "I don't know, I mean…he still has the same lovely Damon qualities…"

"Lovely qualities?" Caroline wrinkled her nose, "seriously?"

"Caroline…he says the right things, I guess. He tells me that he missed me and that he loves me but…"

"But what?" Caroline asked.

Elena looked around before speaking again and she instantly began blushing, "We haven't…you know…since he's been back", she whispered.

Caroline's mouth dropped and Bonnie finally looked at Elena with a raised eyebrow.

"What you and Damon haven't had sex since he got back, that doesn't make sense. Are we sure that we are not dealing with a Damon clone?" Caroline asked.

"I know and I have tried everything and he's just…I guess he's just not in the mood", Elena replied dejected.

Bonnie felt like the temperature had been turned up outside and she felt sick.

"But that has never been a problem for you and Damon, I mean despite everything, you two have mastered the physical part of a relationship".

"I know, that's why I don't understand. I realize that whatever he went through had to be bad, but he won't tell me a lot about it at all".

"Bonnie…", Caroline turned to her, "are you sure you don't remember anything?"

"Not much…", Bonnie shrugged.

"And what about the day that Damon came back, you were at the cemetery and he just rose out of the ground?" Caroline asked.

"Yes, just like that".

Caroline shook her head "Something must have happened that he's not telling you about".

"Well he won't talk to me about it".

"Maybe he was in hell", Caroline replied quietly.

Bonnie said nothing as Elena nodded slowly. Somewhere deep inside she was happy and relieved.

_Six Months Before_

Bonnie massaged her temples as Damon continued to drive the rental. Ever since he ran into Zach and Giuseppe, they had been driving in circles around Mystic Falls. The way he clenched and unclenched his jaw and gripped the steering wheel, she realized that the reaction of seeing his father again had affected him deeply. She had to wonder—what exactly was the point of this Mystic Falls? Was it to make Damon face all of the people who had done wrong? Or those who had done him wrong? Also, why was this about Damon? She was dead too and there was no indication that this Mystic Falls had any connection to her life on a personal level. This didn't make any sense. Grams told her that she made sure that things would be fine and this was less than fine.

"Damon, can you stop driving for a moment?" Bonnie asked.

"Why? It's not as if we have anywhere to go".

"Because we really need to figure out what we are doing here or what exactly this place is".

"I think you were right in the first place. This is hell, this is my hell", Damon replied glancing at Bonnie as he parked the car.

Bonnie looked out of the window as it began to get dark outside, "No, this is not hell. It can't be hell", Bonnie replied.

"And why isn't it? I'm being haunted by people that I killed Bonnie! My father, the man that I've hated for over 100 years stands there and I have to look in his face and he remembers nothing about what he did to me, how he treated me…how can this not be hell, Bonnie?"

"Because I'm here with you", Bonnie said quietly, "and I'm not saying that I'm a Saint, but my Grams told me that she found peace because she knew that I would find mine. She also said that she looked out for me and my Grams was never a liar, "Bonnie turned to look at Damon, "so I _have_ to believe that this is not hell…we are here to find some kind of peace and we need to figure out what that is".

Damon stared at Bonnie. The little witch was something. Even when they were in another place that resembled their home, she believed that this was fine, "So Little Former Witch, what shall we do?" Damon asked looking at her.

"We should go back to the Salvatore Boarding House, there has to be a reason why your father is here…I mean, you didn't kill him did you?" Bonnie asked, almost believing that it was insane to even ask—but this was Damon Salvatore.

"No, Stefan did", Damon answered.

Bonnie's mouth dropped and her eyes went wide, "Are you serious?"

"Well he did kill us", Damon replied.

Bonnie shook her head, "I won't even ask".

"But I guess we should see what this is about", Damon replied starting the car.

Bonnie took a deep breath and nodded as the car pulled away from the curb.

"There is just one thing I don't understand Bonnie…if your Grams promised _you_ peace, where are your ghosts?"

Bonnie looked out of the window—she was wondering the same thing.

_Present Day_

Damon heard the front door of the boarding house open and close and just hearing the way the feet shuffled across the floor, he knew it was the Young Gilbert. He rolled his eyes as he folded the Mystic Falls Daily he had been reading. He was trying to get caught up on all of the current affairs from the past 6 months and Young Gilbert's presence had shattered his peaceful atmosphere.

"Sheeee's noooottt heerrreee", Damon sung as Jeremy entered the living room.

"I know that, I wanted to surprise her", Jeremy snapped.

Damon stood up and faced Jeremy smirking, "Did you now, did you ever think that maybe she's _not_ here because she doesn't want to be smothered by you every second of the day?"

"Damon, I really don't care what you think", Jeremy chuckled.

"Really…you were always an easy mark", Damon walked around Jeremy, "hmm…I wonder exactly what happened while Bonnie was _dead_, maybe she met someone else and they sparked up a little relationship and she was ripped from that…maybe you're just a replacement for that guy now".

Jeremy faced Damon and by the pulsing vein in his neck, Damon knew that he hit a nerve, "Damon, you don't bother me. Trust me, I know that Bonnie is very happy to see me…I have no doubts", Jeremy smirked.

Damon felt the veins began to blacken around his eyes as he looked at the kid and just as he felt his arm raising to rip his heart out, he heard Stefan behind him, "Jer, hey…Bonnie won't be back for awhile, the girls were having a day or something".

Jeremy glared at Damon, "Then when Bonnie gets back, tell her I stopped by".

"Will do", Stefan smiled as Jeremy brushed past him and left the house.

"That kid is living on borrowed time".

"Damon, what did I just walk in on".

"Oh you know, the kid bothers me", Damon plopped down on the couch and opened his newspaper.

"Right…"

"So it seems like since the Traveler's disappeared, Mystic Falls has been pretty quiet".

"Surprisingly, it was almost as if when you disappear, all the trouble disappeared too…coincidence?" Stefan smirked.

"Thanks", Damon deadpanned, "but I will have you know Stefan, I have come back completely zen".

"Yes, that was exactly what went on with you and Jeremy earlier".

"Look, I have to get my kicks somewhere", Damon shrugged.

"So where were you, I guess we never really talked about it".

"I really can't say, not because I don't want to, but because I really don't remember".

Stefan nodded, "Are you…are you angry that we pulled you away from it?"

Damon thought for a few moments and then turned to Stefan, "Would it matter?"

"To me it would".

Damon looked at Stefan, "Don't worry Little Brother, I'm where I am supposed to be".

SSSSSS

Later that night, Damon watched Elena brush her hair in the mirror. So far in 10 minutes, she had opened her mouth to say something and quickly closed it at least 20 times. He sat back and placed his hands behind his head and stared at her. Last year this time, seeing Elena in his bedroom would have been every dream he ever had—but now, it just felt wrong. Since he came out of the ground and Bonnie told him that they were back, he felt as if he was living a different life. Yes, it was the life that he wanted so badly before, but it wasn't the life he wanted now.

"Elena, if you have something to say—you should say it", Damon finally stated.

She turned to him with the brush in her hand tapping it slowly against her over as if she was nervous, "Damon, I know that things are different. I know that over the past couple of months, you've been through the imaginable and I am not trying to discount it, but things are not the same between us and I want to know—is it something I did?"

Damon stood up from the bed and walked over to Elena, "No, you could never do anything to damage our relationship. Elena, I know that I am not exactly the same person that I was before I left…"

"I know and I know that whatever you went through I will never understand. I just want you to know that I am here for you", Elena wrapped her arms around him, "whenever you're ready, whenever you want to tell me what happened—I will be here to listen".

Damon slowly wrapped his arms around Elena. He smelled her hair and as much as he tried to build himself up to feel how he felt six months ago, he couldn't do it.

Elena let him go and she stared at him for a few moments before slowly kissing him. He closed his eyes for a moment as Bonnie's words echoed in his ears. 'Nothing's changed'. As he pulled Elena closer to him, he heard Stefan's hurried steps coming towards the room. He stopped kissing Elena and rushed over to the door opening it.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Bonnie called, something happened to Caroline", Stefan breathed out.

_Six Months Before_

Damon parked the car and took a deep breath. "Are you sure that you want to do this, because if you really don't want to do this…", Bonnie began, but Damon cut her off.

"I'm fine, like you said, this place is about finding some type of peace…"

"Ok, then let's go", Bonnie breathed taking a deep breath.

Damon cut the engine to the car and they headed towards the front door of the boarding house. "Maybe I should do all of the talking", Bonnie replied.

"No need, you may slip up", Damon replied reaching past her and knocking on the door.

"Who was the one who ran down the stairs as soon as the occupants came to the door?" Bonnie smirked.

"Momentary reaction".

The door opened with Giuseppe on the other side and Bonnie glanced at Damon to see if he would be able to do this.

"Hi, I apologize for earlier—I thought you reminded me of someone. We will need two rooms for a couple of days", Damon replied.

"Sure son, come in", Giuseppe smiled.

Bonnie noticed Damon visibly stiffen at being called 'son', but he quickly recovered. They walked inside and Bonnie had to admit, the house looked pretty cozy and so familiar. She could not believe that two men had decorated it so nicely. It looked like a real bed and breakfast.

"Impressed by the interior decorating?" Giuseppe smirked as he walked over to a desk, "we had help…a lot of help", he chuckled, "in fact, you will meet our decorator tomorrow, she's something special".

"She has great taste", Bonnie smiled.

"So we have two rooms upstairs, their nice and big…but I noticed that you two don't have any luggage".

"Well we weren't expecting to take this trip exactly and we may not be staying long", Damon replied.

"Ahh…I see, well you may stay here for as long as you need to. Allow me to show you to your rooms".

Bonnie followed after Giuseppe as Damon stood for a moment looking around before following. They headed up the stairs and Damon took in how different the house looked. It looked like a small hotel and this was a true mind trip. Wherever they were, there was no Stefan…no Elena...no one alive in their world. The fact that he would never see Stefan and Elena again made him ache.

"Ok, Little Lady…this room is for you", Giuseppe said opening one of the rooms, one that Damon recognized as Stefan's room in the old house.

"Thank you…umm…good night", Bonnie said looking at Damon, "see you tomorrow morning".

"Breakfast will be served from 7-10, we don't have any other guests at the moment, so Zach will make pretty much whatever you two want, Zach is a fantastic chef".

"Thank you Mr. Salvatore".

"Call me Joe", Giuseppe smiled at Bonnie.

For a moment, Bonnie saw where Stefan and a small part of Damon got their charm from. She smiled as she walked in the room and closed the door.

"And you can follow me to your room, son", Giuseppe said.

"Can you please not…", Damon began as Giuseppe turned to him.

"What?"

"Nothing…nothing…", Damon shook his head.

Giuseppe stopped at a familiar door to Damon. He had to chuckle inwardly, of course his room would be the same room he occupied in the other Mystic Falls.

"If you need anything, just let me know", Giuseppe said as he turned and headed down the hallway as Damon watched him.

Damon stepped in the room and looked around. It was definitely a stark difference between this room and his room in the Other Mystic Falls, but then again—this entire town was different. People were for the most part happy and going on with their lives. Could this have been his life if Katherine had never entered it or if Stefan had never existed? The mere thought of Stefan made something ache in his stomach. He sat down on the bed and looked around. If this was his peace, then why did he feel like he was sleepwalking?

SSSSSS

Bonnie looked around her room at the B&B and felt weird being in the room that she knew as Stefan's in the Other Mystic Falls. She looked in the mirror and for the first time that day, she realized how tired she looked. Her eyes had no light in them and she looked as if she had aged 5 years in just a short amount of time.

She walked over to the bed and suddenly she felt as if she couldn't breathe as she hiccupped and the tears began to fall. She had left everyone that she cared about, Elena, Caroline, her mother and Jeremy. She was in this new place, with no relationships (except for Damon and she wasn't sure what they could call themselves) and she felt as if she was lost. She was a stranger and even worse, there was no one from her past to make her feel as if she belonged here. She wrapped her arms around her middle as she cried. She had given so much, so much of herself for her friends and even her enemies and she had gotten nothing in return.

She always put on the brave face, the charitable face, the helpful face and what did it get her? Dead and in someone else's peaceful fantasy!

"I wasted my life…", Bonnie whispered through her tears, "I wasted my life".

SSSSSS

Damon tossed and turned for hours as he lay in the bed in the boarding house. He slid out of bed and put on his jeans. As he left his room, he stopped at the room Bonnie occupied and knocked on the door, but she didn't answer. How could she sleep when they had no idea where they were or what they were doing there was beyond him. He headed downstairs to the living room and looked at the pictures that adorned the walls. Some people he recognized and others he didn't.

"Can't sleep?" a voice asked from behind him.

He turned to face Giuseppe, "Not really".

Giuseppe nodded, "No offense, but you and the Little Lady upstairs looked as if you've been through a trying time".

"You could say that…who are these people exactly?" Damon asked pointing at the pictures and portraits.

"Oh…various members of my family going back to the 1600's".

"I see…so you and Zach run this place together?"

"Yes, we're kind of the bachelors in the family", Giuseppe chuckled, "so we thought we would put this place to work for us".

"I see, so you never married…never had children?" Damon asked.

Giuseppe raised an eyebrow, "Not that I know of".

Damon nodded.

"So what about you, I assume you have no wife or children because you are traveling with a very attractive woman and…"

"No, no wife or child".

Giuseppe nodded, "Well its never too late, that was always my biggest regret. I'm sure you can't tell now, but I used to be a class A bastard and I lost my chance to have that good life with a wife and child…" Giuseppe let the statement drift away.

Damon nodded, "Well that stopped being part of my plans a long time ago".

"Well like I said, its never too late", Giuseppe said, "and if you need anything while you're here, just let me know. I know you're new to town and I wouldn't be a good host if I didn't provide some guidance for you".

Damon looked into his father's eyes and they were kind. They were the kindest eyes he had ever seen his father have, "Thank you", he squeezed out.

"Oh and whatever is bothering you, keeping you up this late at night—its not that serious", Giuseppe replied as he walked out of the living room.

Damon stood staring at the Salvatore family pictures for a few moments and then he headed upstairs with a mind, not much clearer than before, but slightly less burdened.

_Present Day_

When Damon walked into the Forbes home, he immediately saw Bonnie covered in blood and he wanted to go to her, but was cut off by Elena running and wrapping her arms around her. He noticed Stefan tending to Caroline on the couch where she had a wound gushing blood.

"I…I…tried to stop it, but it won't stop bleeding", Bonnie stated shakily.

Damon could tell by the shake in her voice that whatever happened to Caroline had thrown her a little.

"What happened?" Stefan asked.

Caroline grimaced, "We had just come back from dinner and as soon as I stepped on the porch, I felt something stab me in the back".

"It was that", Bonnie said pointing to an arrow on the coffee table.

"Where did it come from?"

"I don't know, we couldn't see", Bonnie said. Damon noticed that she was wringing her hands, which were still stained with blood.

"Bonnie, why don't you go wash your hands", Stefan replied gently.

Bonnie looked down at her hands for what it seemed like for the first time and tears appeared in her eyes. "I will be right back", she mumbled as she headed towards the bathroom upstairs.

"Does it hurt?" Elena asked Caroline as Damon glanced up the stairs.

"Yes…", Caroline grimaced, "I...I should be healing but I don't know what's wrong, Bonnie tried some spells but she couldn't heal me…"

"Could it be vervain?" Elena asked Stefan and Damon.

"It could be, but it should have wore off…this may be something else", Stefan replied.

"Let me call Alaric", Elena said heading into the kitchen.

"I will see if The Witch has her grimoire here", Damon said heading towards the stairs as Stefan pressed a cloth on Caroline's shoulder.

Damon headed up the stairs and found Bonnie frantically washing her hands in the bathroom sink.

"This is not how its supposed to be", she said, "this is not…this is not…", she breathed as she put her hands to her face.

Damon reached out to her and held her arm, "Calm down".

"How can I calm down…Caroline was shot by god knows who with an arrow and she's not healing, she could be dying and I don't know how to help her. It's starting1 again…"

"What's started?" Damon asked.

"Always fighting for our lives", Bonnie said, "I don't want to be here anymore…I _hate_ being here".

"I know, but I'm here".

Tears dropped from Bonnie's eyes, "I know", she whispered.

Damon placed his hands on her cheeks and made her look at him, "I'm here", he repeated.

She nodded as she wrapped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. If she closed her eyes tight enough, she could almost believe that she was back…back in the place that gave her peace.

_Six Months Before_

"Are you sure you don't want anything for breakfast?" Zach asked as he walked into the B&B dining room.

Bonnie was sitting in a chair twirling her spoon around her teacup. She was up for most of the night and even ignored Damon when he knocked on her door in the middle of the night. She hated this place and she could not understand why Grams would tell her that she would find peace here, "No, I'm fine".

"I will make you something anyway", Zach smiled as he headed into the kitchen.

Bonnie shook her head as she heard the door open and a little bell sound as the sound of heels echoed on the floorboards, "Honestly Giuseppe, I told you I was coming this morning", the smoky female voice said.

Bonnie stopped twirling her spoon and her heart dropped into her stomach. She slowly stood up from the table.

"I'm sorry Sheila, I had a long night", Giuseppe chuckled as Bonnie heard him coming down the stairs.

Bonnie stood frozen in place as she heard Giuseppe and 'Shelia' heading towards the dining room, "I found the perfect piece of art for the dining room and I just had to bring it over…", Shelia said entering the room.

Bonnie stood in the middle of the floor as her Grams walked in the room. She looked absolutely beautiful to her. She was almost glowing as she walked in carrying a large portrait. Tears filled Bonnie's eyes as Shelia's eyes met hers.

"Well hello", Shelia smiled warmly as Bonnie.

At that moment, Bonnie completely forgot about how she was dead…how this was a an alternate reality…how lost she felt the night before…how unhappy she was and for that moment, she rushed over to Shelia and brought her into a hug as happy tears flowed from her eyes.

**Will Bonnie and Damon find their peace in this new place?**

**Also, who shot Caroline and what exactly does it mean for the group in the Present Mystic Falls?**

**Please show your love/like, I appreciate your reviews and posts. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites and follows. Without further ado…**

**Disclaimer: I own nada. **

_Six Months Before…_

"Well ok…", Shelia laughed as she removed herself from Bonnie's embrace, "how do you do?"

Bonnie wiped her eyes and was momentarily taken back, "I'm sorry…I just…I thought you were someone else".

"I understand", Shelia smiled.

"Shelia, we actually have two guests…this lovely young lady right here", Giuseppe smiled.

"Bonnie", she replied holding out her hand as Shelia shook it.

"And her friend".

"Oh I see, so how long will you be in town?" Shelia asked.

"Umm, not sure…but I know that I need to go shopping at least", Bonnie frowned.

"Well you have met the right person, Shelia loves to shop".

"Really Giuseppe, don't tell all my secrets…here…take my card", Shelia said writing something on the back, "and call me, I will take you to all of the good clothing stores".

"Thank you, thank you so much", Bonnie said taking the card and holding it to her chest. She felt like something inside of her had awakened, "if you excuse me, I need to go upstairs".

"Ok, but make sure you come back down. Zach is probably making you every single breakfast food he can think of", Giuseppe called after her.

Bonnie rushed up the stairs and knocked on Damon's room door frantically and opened the door to find him coming out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She stopped for a moment because the air got thin for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"Bonnie Bennett, I know we're stuck here in pseudo helladise, but that doesn't mean that you can just come into my domicile and ogle me half naked, what would Elena say?" Damon smirked.

"Don't be an ass and no one ogles you".

"Are you were ogling", Damon replied.

"Whatever…guess what?" Bonnie said.

"What Little Ghost?"

"Can you stop with the nicknames".

"But they're just so enjoyable", Damon winked.

"Whatever, my Grams is downstairs", Bonnie beamed.

"What do you mean she's downstairs?"

"She's the one who decorated this place".

Damon walked away from Bonnie, "Did she know you?"

"No…", Bonnie frowned, but then began grinning, "but she's here! Someone that I know is here!"

Bonnie knew that it wasn't the perfect scenario, but she was overjoyed to have someone in this place that she had a connection to. The amount of joy that she felt in her heart was something she hadn't felt in years.

Damon stared at her and then he smiled, "Well Little Witch, I guess we know what we are supposed to do in this place".

Bonnie smiled as she looked down at the business card Shelia handed her and saw a note on the back, 'You Are Going To Find Peace, Trust It…Come See Me'.

_Present Day_

Bonnie opened the grimoire for the first time since she returned and it felt like she just put shackles on her hands. She was back in the role as the fixer. The person who the gang looked to in order to fix all of the problems, Caroline was still in pain on the couch. Stefan was by her side—which caused Bonnie to raise an eyebrow, but she ignored it. Alaric had promised to do some research to see what the arrow could have possibly been made of and Elena was in the kitchen with Damon, she could hear and see her talking to him and him soothing her with a hug and quiet words.

Bonnie turned a page in the grimoire so violently that the page tore. She looked around before whispering a quick spell and the page went back together.

She hated this situation more and more with each passing moment. When she and Damon settled into their life in the Other Mystic Falls, she never imagined that she would be back here doing this again. She also never imagined that she would have to sit back and watch Elena and Damon be a couple again. A part of herself knew whatever she and Damon shared back when they were in 'Their Peace' as she liked to call it, was just that…what they shared then. Elena loved Damon, she fought to be with him and hell, she did all that she could to bring him back and who was Bonnie to interfere? Besides she was with Jeremy. He loved her…he doted on her…he looked at her as if she was the only woman he wanted. How could she ever tell him that her feelings had changed and she had developed some for the one person in the world that he hated the most? Then it was the issue that everyone had a reason to hate Damon for what he did in the past and she would have agreed with them before…but things…things were different now.

"Bonnie, how's it going?" Elena asked entering the dining room with Damon following.

"I think I may have found something, but I need to get a few things from the storage place where we put my Grams stuff", Bonnie replied standing up.

"Where's the storage?"

"At Whitmore, its kinda late…I'm not sure security will let me in", Bonnie frowned.

"I will drive and I will _influence_ the security guard", Damon smirked.

"I can go alone…"

"Bonnie, let Damon go with you", Elena said, "we have to help Caroline, I'm not sure she can hold on much longer".

Caroline let out a moan as Bonnie wrote a few notes, "Ok…fine…fine", Bonnie said picking up her bag and walking over to Caroline, "I am going to help you, I promise".

"I know Bonnie, I'm glad you're back…we were lost without you", Caroline said touching Bonnie's hand.

Bonnie nodded as she headed towards the door.

"Hang on Blondie, this is not your final act", Damon called as they headed out of the house.

Damon unlocked his car door and Bonnie slid into the passenger seat. They drove quietly for a few moments as the radio played some slow music.

"You had to offer to drive me, didn't you?" Bonnie shook her head.

"Look you want to save Caroline and I doubt security will appreciate you coming in the middle of the night to look around a storage space, soo…"

"Damon, I'm ok…I had a small little breakdown earlier, but I'm ok".

"No you're not", he answered, "because you are forgetting something Little Witch, I was where you were and I know what we had there…"

"You are with Elena and I am with Jer…"

"I am not talking about us and how we…_connected…_I'm talking about everything, my father, your Grams…the happiness…no worries…the fact that we lived in that Mystic Falls and we could just live, I know you miss that".

Bonnie looked down at her grimoire, "I miss it every day".

Damon reached over and placed his hand on Bonnie's, "So do I".

_Six Months Before_

Later that day, Bonnie walked into the little storefront office down on Main Street and listened to the wind chime that announced her presence. It was the same wind chime that her Grams had at her house. "Hello", she walked inside.

"Come in child, I'm in the back".

Bonnie couldn't help but smile as soon as she heard her Grams' voice again. She headed to the back of the office and found Shelia sitting at her desk staring at her computer screen. She stood up and smiled at Bonnie extending her arms, "My Child, you made it", she whispered as she enveloped Grams in a hug.

"You remember me…you know me", Bonnie said.

"Of course I do, do you really believe that I would let you go off to some place without me guiding the way?" Grams asked.

Bonnie grinned as she hugged Grams tightly, "Thank you…thank you".

Grams touched Bonnie's cheeks as the tears flowed from eyes, "I know that this is confusing to you and not exactly what you expected, but with the circumstances…"

"You're here and I am grateful for that", Bonnie wiped her eyes, "I thought I was alone…"

"Alone? I thought that Salvatore came through with you".

"He did, but Damon and I have never been the best of friends".

Shelia nodded as she walked over to the chaise lounge chair with Bonnie following her, "Have you figured out where you are yet?" Shelia asked.

Bonnie took a deep breath, "Well I know that this is some version of Mystic Falls, but its weird…only people who have died are here and Elena, Caroline and Jeremy don't exist here and neither does Stefan".

"That's because they haven't ascended yet".

Bonnie nodded.

"Do you know what else this place is meant to be?" Shelia asked.

Bonnie looked around and thought about the fact that Damon's father was around, "A place to start over? A place to figure out what went wrong and make it right here…a place to be happy?"

"It is all of those things Bonnie and I want you to embrace it, I want you to live your new life in a way that you never lived your old one and do you know how you are going to do that?" Shelia asked.

"How?" Bonnie asked.

"By valuing the person who matters the most…you", Shelia replied pointing at her, "this is your chance Baby and I am here for you".

Bonnie nodded, "I understand Grams".

"And I have picked out some clothes for you at the boutique down the street on my tab, don't worry about it", Grams said handing Bonnie a piece of paper with an address.

"Thank you soo much Grams", Bonnie hugged her again.

"Now remember, this is not the Mystic Falls you know. The people here don't know you and that means, we are just becoming acquainted".

"I understand".

"Now go and we will speak later, you can come to my house for dinner".

"I would love that", Bonnie said feeling as if her heart was starting to beat again and life had been breathed into her. Bonnie stood up and started for the door, "Umm Grams, just one question…you said that you made sure that I would have peace, so why is Damon here exactly?"

Shelia smirked, "I guess that has yet to be determined".

Bonnie nodded slowly as she left the office.

_Present Day_

After Damon compelled the security guard to ignore them, they headed down to the storage rooms in the basement of the History Building. "That felt surprisingly good", Damon grinned as they entered the storage room.

"Controlling people's thoughts?" Bonnie cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Well you know, I did miss _some_ aspects of being a vampire".

Bonnie shook her head as she opened a trunk.

"Just like you missed some aspects of being a witch", Damon replied walking over to her.

"I did, but things were simpler when I didn't have the witch thing going on and you didn't have the vampire thing making you an ass…", Bonnie winked, "things were good".

"That they were", Damon said kneeling down next to her as she searched through the trunk.

They looked at each other for a few moments and Bonnie broke the gaze. "Oh, this is what I needed…its here", she replied picking up a jar containing red colored leaves. She stood up and closed the trunk, "we should go".

"Not yet", Damon said racing to the door and standing in front of it.

"Damon, I have to get back and make the cure for Caroline".

"Not before we talk".

"There's no time…"

"Yes, there is…she's a vampire, she has a high tolerance for pain and furthermore, this is the only place that we can talk".

Bonnie shook her head, "I have to help her".

"Give me five minutes".

Bonnie sighed and put the jar down on the floor, "Ok…ok".

"Have you forgotten everything that happened when we were away…the lesson you were supposed to learn?" Damon asked.

"No".

"Then why are we continuing this charade?" he asked exasperated.

"Because Elena and Jeremy don't deserve to be hurt".

"Ok, fine…but answer me this, what do you want Bonnie?"

"I want to be happy and I'm happy when those around me are happy".

"My god Bonnie! Are you listening to yourself, remember a couple of months ago…remember what Shelia was trying to teach you, why she made all kinds of deals to give you the peace that you so desperately needed? Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Damon…stop…" Bonnie replied.

"Why Bonnie, why should I stop?" Damon asked.

"Because we are not in that Other Mystic Falls anymore!" Bonnie screamed, "_this_ Mystic Falls includes Elena. _This_ Mystic Falls made you a vampire again. _This_ Mystic Falls has the woman that you always wanted remember, the woman that you betrayed your brother for, the woman that you worshipped for years. We are not there anymore, Damon. Things are different and I am protecting myself more than anything, so yes…you need to stop. You need to stop kissing me, you need to stop telling me to remember how it was back then because right now, when I look at you and Elena, its like nothing changed".

"Things have changed".

"No, nothing has changed because I don't see you telling Elena what happened between us".

Damon widened his eyes, "You told me that you didn't want to hurt Elena or Jeremy, I'm following your lead, Bonnie. Things are not the same between me and Elena and I am sure you know that".

Bonnie closed her mouth, she did know about the non-physical part of Elena and Damon's relationship at the moment and she did feel guilty.

"But you can't say the same thing about you and Jeremy can you?" Damon asked moving closer to her.

"I'm just trying to make things ok for everyone", Bonnie replied tiredly.

"Everything is not ok, not when we obviously can't keep our feelings hidden".

Bonnie looked up at Damon and she could tell by the way his eyes clouded over that things were about to change, "Damon…don't…", she protested.

"Then stop me", he said grabbing her cheeks and bringing her into a kiss. Bonnie held onto him as the kiss deepened. It was one of the most searing kisses that she had ever experienced. It reminded her of better times. She felt the kiss from the top of her head to the bottom of her toes.

She felt him leading her to the wall in the storage room and he pressed her body against the wall as he kissed her on the neck. Bonnie gasped as she felt like this was the familiarity she remembered. She felt his hands travel down her torso and he reached for her jacket and worked it off her arms and off her body. As they kissed hungrily and passionately, it seemed like every part of Bonnie's body came alive and her mind was in overdrive. This is what she missed…this is what she needed…

She felt Damon lift her up off the floor and she wrapped her legs around his waist as she threw her head back given him more access to her neck and then the moment was shattered as her phone began to ring. Just like that, the sound of a symphony brought her out of this moment.

"Damon…we have to stop…", she whispered.

"No we don't", he answered back.

"We have to…" she said pushing him away and slowly putting her feet on the floor, "we have to stop".

He shook his head as she fished her phone out of her pocket, "Yes…yes…I'm sorry, yes Elena I found the leaves…we will back soon", Bonnie answered avoiding Damon as she fixed her clothes, "ok…see you then".

Damon looked at Bonnie, "Why won't you just live your life for once", he remarked as he brushed past Bonnie out of the door.

She stood in the middle of the storage room surrounded by her grandmother's things and she just felt sick. She wasn't sure who she was right now and on top of that, she wasn't sure she even liked herself at the moment.

SSSSSS

On the way back from the University, Damon noticed Bonnie stealing glances at him in the car but he refused to look at her. The 'Old Damon' would have lashed out at her, did something reckless and stupid because Bonnie had rejected him, but 'This Damon' would bide his time. As much as he seemed so sure of himself with Bonnie, he wasn't so sure of himself or his feelings in reality.

Six months ago, he and Bonnie were in their own little world. While he missed Elena and wanted to move heaven and earth to be with her again, he accepted that this was his life and she was not a part of it. However, the life he left behind in the Other Mystic Falls was the one that he cherished. Things had changed for him and as much as it pained him to admit, the world that did not contain his brother or the woman that he was sure that he loved with every part of his being, was the world that he ached for every moment of the day. He wanted to feel how he felt there again. He felt torn between two worlds and he loathed it.

When he looked at Elena, he did feel something. He wasn't sure if it was a feeling of nostalgia or what, but he felt something; but not enough to sustain the relationship that they had before he died. On the other hand, when he looked at Bonnie now, he saw the happiness and carefree life that he had just months ago. The laughs they shared, the conversations, the feelings, the way he realized that he was so much better than what he always portrayed himself to be and the connection that they had, both physical and emotional made him want to have that again…with her.

He knew that he couldn't force her to want him nor could he manipulate things to be his way. That wasn't a part of him anymore. She had forced him to grow up and he did, but the fact that she resisted him and continued to be with Jeremy was trying him. He had learned valuable lessons while they were in the Other Mystic Falls and he was determined to keep those lessons in mind.

_Six Months Before_

Damon walked into the B&B with clothing bags after picking up a few things in town. Since he and Bonnie would be staying for awhile, he figured that he would need more clothes to at the very least take the first step in this new life.

"Did you find everything you needed?" Giuseppe asked walking into the foyer.

"A few things, not too many Armani stores here but I found enough".

Giuseppe chuckled, "Yes, well this is Mystic Falls…it's not perfect, but its perfect for us".

Damon blanched, "Is that on the welcome sign?"

"Nauseating I know, but being a part of the Chamber of Commerce, I have to say those little sayings to visitors…join me for lunch?"

Damon put his bags down and followed Giuseppe into the dining room. If he was here in this place for eternity, it was best that he try to figure out what he was supposed to accomplish.

"So, if I may ask, where are you two from?" Giuseppe asked pouring Damon iced tea from a pitcher.

"Not far from here", Damon shrugged.

"Are you two running from something?" Giuseppe raised an eyebrow.

"Actually no, we kind of just ended up here. Kind of a spiritual journey, I guess".

"And you two aren't involved?"

Damon choked on his iced tea, "Me and Bonnie, nooo….no…not at all, she and I barely like each other".

"Then I go back to you being partners in some crime, but as long as no law enforcement agencies are knocking at my door—I will leave it alone".

"I can guarantee you that's not going to happen", Damon chuckled.

"So how long do you plan on staying here, not that I mind, just curious?"

Damon looked around, "I'm not exactly sure, until its time for me to go…I guess".

"Well I know that Mystic Falls may not be the most exciting town, but it definitely has its quirks. I've lived here my entire life and I can't say many bad things about it".

Damon nodded, "You said that you had a chance to have the wife and kid, but something happened…what happened?"

Giuseppe shrugged, "I was an immature young man and I didn't know or at least I thought that I didn't need to show the person I love the respect that they deserved and they got tired of it. I can't blame her though…", he chuckled, "but lessons learned and all that".

"Where is she now?"

"Who Mary?"

At the mere mention of his mother's name, Damon's heart contracted and his hand became unsteady, "Was that her name?" he managed to choke out.

Giuseppe nodded, "Yes, the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on. She had the bluest eyes…but she got married a couple years after we ended our relationship and a couple years after that she died…cancer, I believe".

Damon felt a lump form in his throat—even in this world, his mother was dead.

"But that taught me a valuable lesson, be kind to those who you cherish", Giuseppe replied.

Damon nodded.

"And that no matter how many times you mess up, you can always start over again…maybe not the same, but every day is a new start".

Damon looked at Giuseppe and the emotions that welled up inside of him were mixed. This was the father he always wanted and never received. This version of his father looked at him with more kindness than his father ever did. As he sat with Giuseppe listening to his life, he realized that this was where he was supposed to be and despite the fact that his brother wasn't there or the woman that he loved, he was going to start making things right in this life.

_Present Day_

Bonnie finished mixing the cure together as she read the instructions in the grimoire and smoothed the paste over Caroline's wound as everyone watched behind her. She stood up and watched as the wound began to close slowly and Caroline's face relaxed.

"There, you should feel better", Bonnie smiled.

"Thanks Bonnie", Caroline grinned as she stood up shakily, "I'm so happy you're back, I have no idea what would have happened if you were still…" she trailed off.

"Well you don't have to worry about that because I'm back and I'm not going anywhere", Bonnie smiled as she hugged Caroline.

"So now that Blondie has been healed, we need to figure out who shot her and why", Damon spoke up.

"Well Alaric is examining the arrow, so he should have some answers for us—but the fact that Caroline didn't heal automatically doesn't make any sense", Elena spoke up.

"And things were so quiet for so long", Caroline frowned as someone rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it", Bonnie replied as she headed towards the door seeing Jeremy's silhouette on the other side.

When she opened the door, he almost knocked her down with his hug, "When I heard that something happened to Caroline and you were with her, I got scared", he said holding on to her.

Bonnie returned his hug and then backed out of his embrace, "I'm fine and she's fine now, its ok".

He studied Bonnie's eyes for a moment, "Are you sure everything's ok, you don't look like it is".

"I'm just tired that's all, its been a long day".

"Guys, I'm taking Bonnie back to the boarding house", Jeremy announced suddenly after looking in Bonnie's eyes.

"Wait…we need to figure out what's going on", Damon spoke up, "this is not some isolated incident more than likely and…"

"Bonnie you can go, we can update you later", Stefan interrupted.

Damon looked at Stefan with daggers in his eyes.

"Well ok, I am tired…I will call you tomorrow", Bonnie said picking up her bag completely avoiding Damon's eyes.

"Ok, we will fill you in on anything we find…and make sure you rest Bonnie", Elena said hugging her.

"I will".

"And thank you for saving me", Caroline hugged her again.

Bonnie gave her friends a half smile as Jeremy led her out of the door, but when her eyes landed on Damon, her smile turned into a frown. She was lying to herself and to Jeremy and it needed to stop.

_Six Months Before_

Bonnie sat out on the deck of the boarding house looking up at the stars. Her feelings were a jumbled mess, but she was happy that she had her Grams back and most of all, that she remembered her. This Other Mystic Falls wasn't perfect by any means, but it was starting to make sense.

"So Judgey, how was your day?" Damon asked walking out and taking a seat next to her.

"Pretty good, Grams remembers me", she said smiling, "she didn't explain how exactly this place was created or what it means, but she remembers me and that is more than I could have ever hoped for".

"Is that right? And I see you got new clothes".

"Yup", Bonnie said admiring her new red blazer, "and what about you?"

"Well Giuseppe is the perfect father that I never had; understanding, advice giving, the perfect father".

"Then that's good right, you two can build a relationship without all of the bad stuff".

"But I still remember all of the bad stuff", Damon replied.

"True, but I guess that's what this place is about…knowing all the bad stuff that happened and starting over to change things".

Damon looked out at the stars, "I'm happy that you have the chance to have a relationship with your grandmother while you're here, I know that she left you entirely too early", he replied quietly.

Bonnie nodded and then spoke, ""But things aren't perfect, I miss Elena, Caroline and Jeremy".

"Yeah and as much as Stefan bugged me at times, it would be nice to have my brother here so he could meet the new and improved Giuseppe".

"Yeah", Bonnie said sipping her lemonade.

"But at least we have each other right?" Damon asked.

Bonnie chuckled, "Oh right, like I'm sure there are 999 more people that you rather be sharing this experience with than me".

Damon looked over at Bonnie, "I wouldn't say that, but you know what witch…I think that we will become…dare I say it, good friends during our time here".

"Stranger things have happened", Bonnie replied.

"Yes they have", Damon smirked.

_Present Day_

When they got back to the boarding house, Bonnie sat down on her bed and Jeremy removed her shoe boots. She looked down at him and smiled; he was so sweet. He cared about her so much and she was convinced that he would move heaven and earth for her, but as much as she tried—she couldn't feel the same way about him anymore. It wasn't just because of Damon and what happened with him, it was because she wasn't the same person that she was a couple of months before and all of the pretending in the world wasn't going to make her feel better.

Jeremy kneeled down in front of her, "I know that you want to look strong in front of everyone Bonnie, but I also know that you are dealing what a lot. You came back from the dead and wherever you were, I know that it's different than our lives now. I know that six months is a long time to be away and this is all an adjustment. I want you to know that I never once stopped loving you or missing you when you were gone, I felt like a piece of me died when you disappeared. I thought I would never see you again and my heart ached for you".

Bonnie felt a lump in her throat form as she heard Jeremy tell her how he felt. "I love you Bon and no matter what, I am here for you", he said quietly before resting his forehead against hers and then kissing her softly on the lips.

Bonnie closed her eyes as he deepened the kiss and lowered her down on the bed. As he reached for her shirt, she remembered her moments with Damon in the storage room and her words with her Grams right before…

"Jeremy…", she said softly.

"Yes Bonnie", he whispered as he kissed her on her neck.

"I can't do this", she said.

Jeremy immediately stopped and sat up, "I'm sorry…how could I be so stupid, I know we need to take this slow…I'm sorry", he apologized.

"Jeremy, I mean…I can't do _this_…meaning _you and me_", Bonnie replied.

Jeremy stared at her for a few minutes and she swore that she could visibly see his heart break and she felt terrible, but she had to get through this, "Jeremy, you mean so much to me. You were my first and I will always remember our relationship together, but I can't continue to pretend that I am the same Bonnie that I was six months ago".

"But you said that nothing changed between us, you said that you missed me and you loved me".

"And I did miss you and I do love you, just not in the way that I used to. Jeremy, I've tried to go back and try to be the Bonnie that I used to be, but I'm not her anymore; too much has happened to me to go back there".

Jeremy stood up and folded his arms, "Bonnie, I know what you're going through…I came back to and…"

"No, this was different Jeremy and I can't lie to you, I don't feel the same about you anymore", Bonnie replied.

Jeremy stared at her, "I…I have to go".

"Jeremy, I'm sorry…I really am and I know that you must hate me, but I don't want to continue pretending when I know you should be with someone who loves you the same way you do them".

"I don't understand how feelings could change over night", he replied stubbornly.

"Because it wasn't overnight, I was gone for six months and a lot happened during those six months…"

"But you said you didn't remember what happened during that time".

Bonnie opened her mouth and then closed it.

"Something happened during the time you were gone and you haven't told anyone what…I don't know what it was, but it changed you".

"It did", Bonnie stated, "and that's why I can't stay in this relationship anymore just to make _you _happy".

Jeremy shook his head as tears welled up in his eyes, "It's good to know that all I did while you were gone was wish for you to come back and when you do, I lose you anyway", he snapped before marching over to the bedroom door and stomping out.

Bonnie sat on the bed and for some reason, no tears welled up in her eyes nor did she feel a lump in her throat. She felt as if a burden had been lifted off of her shoulders. It wasn't as if she felt that her relationship with Jeremy was a burden, but she was lying to herself and to him. She didn't want Jeremy anymore, she didn't love him the way she should, when she was happy…truly happy in her life, the person that she was happy with in the last six months had been Damon and even in this life, that she was thrust back into, he was the only one that gave her any resemblance of happiness now and she wanted that back.

**Bonnie is slowly starting to turn this life into one that she actually lives and doesn't allow others happiness to trump her own. We shall see what she does next. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Well…well…I think over the past Bamon fans have been given some great news and gifts from the CW TVD cast and crew. Thank you all for your support on this fic and please know that I am going to take my time and build a foundation for Bamon in this fic before putting them together. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

_Five Months Ago…_

As the month drifted by since Bonnie and Damon arrived in the Other Mystic Falls, they started to become accustomed to their new reality. Although, it was only a month it felt like a couple of months had passed. In the beginning it was like waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did. It was as if they had left a life behind where they had people who cared about them and loved them, but in that life they were always fighting to stay alive or keep each other alive and in this alternate place—it was as someone took their deepest dreams or regrets and faced them with those exact things.

They were still at the Salvatore Boarding House and Damon was starting to get used to seeing Giuseppe every day and letting his guard down some. He had his moments when he thought about Stefan and wished that he was there to meet the father that they always wished for, but whenever he and Giuseppe sat up late talking about life, he was a little selfish and grateful to have Giuseppe all to himself.

Then there was Elena. He hadn't reconciled how he felt about this new life without her in it. He had lived for over 100 years and he had said goodbye to many women and he realized that life went on. Although, he felt an intense love for her before he died, he missed her at times but he had come to grips with this new life and hoped that she was finding happiness.

"So are you ready for the Town Founders Day Festival?" Giuseppe asked as Damon sat down at the breakfast table.

"I think so, not sure that there's much to get ready for", he chuckled.

"You must not be from a small town".

Damon shrugged as Zach came out with plates of food and down in front of Giuseppe and Damon. He also joined them taking a seat.

"We're not waiting for Bonnie?" Damon asked.

Zach hid a grin as Giuseppe smiled, "Are you sure that you two are just friends?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure".

"You don't act like it", Zach sat back, "not that I've been spying, but you two seem to have a lot to say to each other in whispers".

Damon shrugged.

"But anyway, she left with Shelia early this morning. Those two have really taken a shine to one another".

"I see", Damon replied.

"So she's getting out and exploring the town, perhaps you should do the same. The men of Mystic Falls usually celebrate Founders Day with a completely ridiculous tradition and we wanted to know if you wanted to take part, you could be on our side", Zach replied.

Damon remembered this tradition and he hated it, but he played along nonetheless, "What is it exactly?"

Zach and Giuseppe exchanged looks, "You will have to see it to believe it".

SSSSSS

"So I got you something for the Founders Ball tonight", Shelia replied as she entered her office where Bonnie was sitting at the desk reading the history of Mystic Falls. It was interesting to read the history of the town where witches, werewolves and vampires never existed.

"The Founders Ball, Grams?", Bonnie smirked.

"Yes".

"You always hated that event".

"Well here I do not, as you have noticed—things are different here".

"I know, I know".

Shelia took the long black dress out of the garment bag, "Grams that is beautiful".

Shelia smiled, "Of course it is, I picked it out. You are going tonight and you are going to have a good time. Child, in case you haven't noticed, this is a place where you are to live your life and not worry about anything…you don't have to save anyone, you don't have anyone depending on you, this is just a place for you to take care of the most important person in your life…you".

Bonnie's eyes welled up with tears, "Thank you Grams, thank you so much".

Shelia took Bonnie's face in her hands, "The only way you can thank me is to enjoy this and make yourself happy with your choices".

"Thank you Grams", Bonnie beamed.

_Present Mystic Falls_

"Over the past month there has been at least 6 of these attacks on vampires in Mystic Falls and all of them have died except for Caroline", Stefan replied as he, Damon, Elena, Caroline, Alaric and Bonnie sat in the Salvatore living room.

"The only option is that there's a slayer around killing vampires", Alaric added.

Bonnie felt a migraine coming on.

"What are we supposed to do and how would this slayer know who is a vampire and who's not, its not as if I'm out broadcasting it", Caroline replied.

"That's what we need to find out. However, for now…everyone keep your eyes open and be careful", Stefan advised.

"Oh yes, keeping our eyes open for someone lurking in the shadows that we will never see".

"Then keep your ears open as well", Stefan deadpanned as the group began breaking up.

As soon as everyone broke up into their own groups, Elena walked over to Bonnie, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine", Bonnie replied.

"I know that you and Jeremy broke up and he's having a hard time, are you really ok?"

"Elena, I'm fine. I know that I hurt Jeremy, but I was hurting him more being with him and not feeling the same way he felt".

Elena nodded, "I understand", she replied, "but I can't help but sympathize with him, Damon is pulling away from me and I don't know what to do".

Bonnie felt a part of her jump for joy and a part of her fill with guilt. She knew that part of the reason why Damon was pulling away from Elena was because of her.

"I guess you will have to allow nature to take its course", Bonnie shrugged.

"But after all we went through, after we did so much to bring you two back to not have him want me, it's just a little heartbreaking"

"Maybe he was better off where he was", Bonnie mumbled turning away from Elena.

Elena blinked a couple of times, "But wherever he was could not have been better than being here Bonnie. Away from Stefan, away from me…"

"You're right", Bonnie smirked, "what could be better than dodging a vampire slayer that could kill him at any moment".

"That's not what I meant Bonnie", Elena frowned, "I know that Mystic Falls has its problems".

"I'm sorry, you're right. Maybe you should just give him time, I am sure things will get back to normal", Bonnie replied smiling and then glanced at her watch, "I'm sorry, but I have to go, my mom was able to get me an apartment in town and I need to meet the landlord with the key".

"Oh you're leaving the boarding house?"

"I can't stay here forever Elena, especially not with Stefan and Damon…its just weird".

"I understand, well I can help you decorate…me and Caroline both, we need to do something normal", Elena smiled.

"We do", Bonnie nodded, "I will call you later".

When Bonnie walked out of the boarding house, successfully dodging Damon, she felt like she was finally starting to grasp her reality here. She wasn't happy with it in the least bit, but she was making do. She missed Grams so much that it hurt. That was one of the things she hated the most about being back, not having Grams anymore. Just the thought of not having Grams around anymore brought tears to her eyes, but she quickly pushed them down—she promised Grams that she would live her life and she was determined to do that.

SSSSSS

"Bonnie left, she needed to meet her new landlord", Elena announced as she entered the kitchen where Stefan, Damon and Caroline were sipping on mugs of blood.

"New landlord?" Caroline asked as no one noticed Damon grasp his cup tighter.

"Apparently her mother found her an apartment here", Stefan shrugged, "she told me yesterday".

"Well she didn't tell us", Caroline replied, "first she breaks up with Jeremy out of the blue and now she's moving and she doesn't even tell us, I think that something's wrong?"

"What could possibly be wrong Caroline, I mean…she was probably in heaven and you all yanked her out of it", Damon spoke up, "did you all think that she would come back and bam! She would be the same Bonnie…guess what, it's not that easy", he replied slamming down his cup and walking out of the kitchen with Elena and Stefan hot on his heels.

"Damon, what is going on? That seemed like it was about more than just Bonnie in there", Elena called after him, "is that how you feel?"

Damon stood in the living room with his back to them.

"Damon, I missed you…we missed you…you wanted to come back, we thought that we were saving you from wherever you were", Elena said walking closer to him.

Damon stood listening to Elena. Never before had he hated her so much.

"We know that its an adjustment being here Damon, we know that. I felt the same way when I came back after being locked in that trunk, but trust me, it gets better", Stefan remarked softly.

"This is not better", Damon said quietly.

"But Damon, how could it have been better for you dead than being here with me and Stefan, two people that love you?" Elena asked.

Damon balled up his fists as he felt his anger rising.

"Damon, we only wanted you to be help you", Elena said touching his arm.

He pulled his arm away as if she burned him and turned to face her, "Help me? You wanted to help me? Well Elena…Stefan…thank you for helping me and taking me away from the only happiness I have ever known in my entire life! Thank you for snatching me away from there and bringing me here to non-stop misery! No you didn't save me, what you did was bring me back to this hell…so thank you…I am so very happy to be here, can't you tell!" Damon exploded as he headed for the front door.

"Damon…wait…", Elena called but he was gone by the time she finished her statement.

"Stefan...", Elena turned to him.

"I'll go talk to him", Stefan said heading out of the house.

_Five Months Ago…_

The sounds of muskets shooting blanks filled the air as 50 men reenacted the Great Battle of Mystic Falls. Damon felt like an idiot. He hated this reenactment every year that the town's council decided that it was a good idea. He was there for the original 'Great Battle of Mystic Falls' and it wasn't that great, the Confederate army got their asses kicked (which he secretly enjoyed). By the time the reenactment was over and the men gathered together in their uniforms, he was starting to feel like he was a part of this community. It was weird, but the aching for Stefan and Elena was starting to dull.

As he sat around with Giuseppe, Zach and Mayor _Lockwood_ drinking beers, Damon figured that if this was how he spent the rest of his days, it wouldn't be too bad. "So Zach, when do you leave for Paris?" Mayor Lockwood asked.

"In about a month", Zach answered, "I plan to visit the Gilberts while I'm there, see how they're doing".

"Oh Miranda and Grayson, tell them I said hello".

Damon felt a feeling in the pit of his stomach at the mention of Elena's parents. This world appeared to be the answer to many people's dreams.

"Will do", Zach replied.

"The Gilberts?" Damon asked.

"Yes, they are part of one of the founding families. Grayson is a doctor, he and his wife live in Paris—he's doing some kind of medical research there", Giuseppe explained.

"Oh, I see", Damon replied sipping his beer.

"Oh look Robert's trying to get pictures taken, let's go Zach…he wants all of the Lieutenants in a picture", Zach said tapping Mayor Lockwood on the shoulder and they got up walking over to take pictures.

"So Zach's leaving and you will run the B&B by yourself?" Damon asked.

"Pretty much, unless you know someone who could help out", Giuseppe said smiling at him.

Damon raised an eyebrow, "Me?"

"Well it doesn't look like you and your friend are leaving any time soon and you live in the B&B already, if you want to help out".

"I don't know anything about running a B&B".

"I can teach you, call me crazy but I feel a connection with you. I don't know why, its almost as if we've met before and like I said, I don't have any children and its been nice to have someone around to talk to and Zach's leaving…"

"Yes, I think I can help you out", Damon cut him off, "I would be happy to".

"Well Damon Smith, thank you for becoming an employee of The Salvatore B&B", Giuseppe smiled holding out his hand as Damon shook it.

SSSSSS

"You said that you would work here?" Bonnie wrinkled her nose as she curled her hair later that evening in her room.

"Well after he begged me, how could I deny him?" Damon shrugged sitting on her bed.

She smirked as she turned to Damon, "He begged you, I'm sure".

"No, he asked me and he seemed really sincere. He really wanted me to take Zach's place here. I guess to some degree, he sees me as a son", Damon replied thoughtfully.

Bonnie put down her curlers and sat down next to Damon on her bed, "I'm starting to feel better", she said, "I mean, I still miss everyone—but honestly, being with Grams and being here just being a regular person, it feels good".

Damon looked at Bonnie, "It kind of does, I never imagined that I could look at my father and feel anything but contempt for him, but as each day goes by…I feel like this is how it was supposed to be".

"Even with Stefan and Elena not being here with you?"

"I miss them, especially Stefan, but I guess this is a chance to see what kind of person I could be without Stefan…without Elena…and without my vampirism".

"Well so far, I think you're doing pretty good", Bonnie said.

"You think so Bennett?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

Bonnie looked at Damon and she saw something, his eyes were brighter and he just looked…happier, "I know so", she answered with confidence.

He nodded as he rose from the bed, "I guess, I should get dressed…we have to leave in about an hour".

"We do", Bonnie nodded.

Damon walked to the door and then stopped turning back to her, "I don't know if I was supposed to be here with you or you brought me here by taking my hand before the white light came, but thank you…Judgey".

Bonnie shook her head and chuckled as Damon disappeared from the doorway.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

"Stefan, you should have stayed back at the house", Damon called behind him as he traipsed through the woods.

"I should have, but I didn't. So you should talk to me", Stefan called after him.

Damon sighed and stopped, "What…what do you want to know?" he asked throwing up his hands, "if you want to know whether I was happy in that other place, fine…you got me…I was happy! I was happier than I have ever been in my entire life…there…I said it!"

Stefan swallowed.

"I was sitting in my new life, enjoying it and you know what happened…wham!" Damon clapped his hands together for effect, "I was ripped away from it! I was brought back here and look, this is hell to me. I know that everyone assumed that I was burning in hell for all my sins and maybe I should have, but I was saved and I had a good life wherever I was and now…right now…I feel like I am in hell".

"We never thought…"

"I'm sure, but that's the reality. This place is not where I want to be, but I am making it work and listening to you and Elena tell me that bringing me back was the best thing infuriates me!" Damon exploded, "it was the best thing for you two, not for me!"

Stefan nodded, "I'm sorry".

Damon shook his head as he looked up at the sky, "I was there with him…", he said quietly.

"Him?" Stefan asked.

Damon turned to Stefan with his eyes glistening, "Our father…I was there with our father", Damon answered.

Stefan's mouth dropped and his eyes went wide, "Giuseppe?" he asked just as Damon heard something swish past his ear and as if it all happened in slow motion, he saw the arrow enter Stefan's stomach and he fell to the ground grimacing in pain.

"Stefan!" Damon yelled running over to him as he thrashed around in pain. Damon looked around but saw no one and heard no one.

SSSSSS

"The apartment is great mom, thank you", Bonnie said looking around the small apartment in the center of Mystic Falls.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to make it out there yet, but I will soon…things have been kind of difficult here", Abby replied.

"Of course, I understand", Bonnie said picking on a fringe on her sweater. The truth was, she didn't understand. She didn't understand how her mother could stay away when her daughter was resurrected from the dead. At times like this, she missed Grams more than anything.

"I will be there soon, ok Baby".

"Ok Mom ok…you can stay in my apartment", Bonnie smiled slightly as her phone beeped. She glanced at the phone and then saw Damon's name, she hit ignore—she couldn't deal with him at the moment.

"Well Bonnie, I will talk to you later…ok".

"Ok".

"I love you Bonnie", Abby replied.

"I love you too Mom", Bonnie said ending the call.

She looked at the message indicator and put her phone down. She wanted just a few minutes of no drama. She looked around her apartment. Being back here in this Mystic Falls, she realized that she needed to start living a new life—one that she created for herself. She needed to focus on her happiness, whatever that meant, in this new place.

She smiled as she looked around at her new furniture and headed towards the door of her apartment. She opened the door to see a tall, caramel colored man carrying a duffel bag up the hallway. He stopped at the apartment door across from her, "Well, hello", he said turning and smiling at Bonnie.

"Hi", she returned his smile.

"I was wondering when my neighbor would show up, I saw men moving in furniture for two days".

"Oh…yeah, I just picked up my keys today…I'm…uh…Bonnie".

"Oh I'm Hudson, nice to meet you Bonnie", he said sticking out his hand.

"Nice to meet you too".

"So are you new to town?" Hudson asked.

"No, I just came back actually…you?"

"Fairly new, I'm here on business…hopefully, I will be able to leave in a couple of weeks".

"Oh…ok…", Bonnie said as her phone began vibrating in her hand, she looked down to see a text from Elena, 'Stefan's in trouble'.

Bonnie sighed as she looked at the message.

"Something wrong?" Hudson asked.

"No, actually I have to go…I guess I will see you around", Bonnie smiled.

"Hopefully", Hudson replied as Bonnie nodded heading down the hallway.

Hudson watched Bonnie disappear and then his smile turned into a smirk as he entered his apartment. He opened his duffel bag and removed an arrow and smiled.

Bonnie touched the envelope on her phone and Damon's voice came over the phone, "Bonnie…I told Stefan about where I was and then he got shot by an arrow…please come to the boarding house…hurry".

Bonnie closed her eyes and dialed Damon's phone, "What happened?"

"Where were you?" he asked.

"I…I had my phone in the other room", Bonnie replied, "I'm on my way".

Damon disconnected the call and Bonnie shook her head as she headed towards her car.

_Five Months Ago…_

Damon waited downstairs for Bonnie so they could leave for the ball having a drink with Giuseppe and Zach. As they waited in the foyer drinking some brandy, Bonnie appeared at the top of the stairs and Damon had to admit, she looked pretty damn gorgeous. The Judgey Witch was always pretty cute, but seeing her in a dress which hugged her curves and her hair in an up do, she looked almost breathtaking.

"Just friends, indeed", Zach whispered in Damon's ear as Bonnie headed down the stairs.

"Well Ms. Wilson, you look absolutely breathtaking", Giuseppe said kissing Bonnie's hand.

"Thank you", she smiled.

"And on that note, we have to go pick up our dates…you two know where the ball is being held right? The Mystic Plaza's Ballroom?" Zach asked.

"Yes, we know where it is, see you there", Damon replied as Zach and Giuseppe headed towards the door.

"Nice dress", Damon said as Giuseppe and Zach closed the door behind them.

"Thank you, my Grams picked it out".

"I see…well shall we go?" Damon asked.

Bonnie nodded and started towards the door, but then stopped, "Are we wrong for this?" Bonnie asked.

"Wrong for what?"

"This…enjoying ourselves here?"

"Bonnie, this is our new life now and I don't think there is a right or wrong about this anymore".

"Because I am really, really happy here and I can't imagine being anywhere else…despite the fact that I am here with you", Bonnie smirked.

Damon smiled and wiggled his finger in her face, "Nope, that doesn't work anymore Bennett. I know that you are having a fantastic time being here with me".

Bonnie shook her head, "Fine…you're not too bad in this Mystic Falls".

"Thank you very much", Damon replied as they headed out of the door.

SSSSS

The Mystic Falls Founders Day Ball was much bigger than Bonnie expected. It took some time before she could actually relax. She couldn't remember the last time she was at a dance where she could just dance and not worry about some vampire or supernatural being coming in and leaving a body count. She was able to laugh, eat and even have a glass of wine without any worries.

As the night progressed on, she found herself dancing with Giuseppe, "Enjoying yourself Miss Wilson?"

"I am", Bonnie smiled still taken back by the new last name that she had been given in this world.

"Good, I haven't mentioned this to Damon, but I could tell when you two first arrived that both of you were carrying heavy loads".

"Kind of".

"And over the past month, it looks like you two have started to let go some of that heavy baggage, am I right?"

Bonnie nodded, "There were some complications from our old home, but this new one is starting to feel more home like. I know its only been a short time, but I think being here has done wonders for us both".

Giuseppe looked over at Damon speaking with Carol Lockwood laughing and joking, "Damon, he didn't seem to like me much when he first arrived", Giuseppe stated.

"I don't think that was true, I just think that you reminded him of someone".

"Someone…like who?"

"I don't know, maybe his father", Bonnie shrugged, "but I know that he really appreciates the time you two spend together".

"That's good, you know I never had a son, but if I did—I'd like to think he would have been like Damon from what I see".

"Maybe", Bonnie replied.

"So tell me, why are you two just friends?" Giuseppe asked with a smirk.

Bonnie laughed, "Is that why you wanted to dance with me?"

"Well I had two reasons one, I wanted to dance with one of the most beautiful young woman in this room and two, to ask you that question. I realize that I don't know you and Damon well, but I see the chemistry between you two".

Bonnie shook her head, "If you can believe it, Damon and I were less than friends before we embarked on this journey together".

"Well I hate to tell you this Bonnie, but sometimes…the biggest of enemies make the best romantic partners".

"Not in this story", Bonnie shook her head looking over at Damon with Carol Lockwood.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

Bonnie parked her car in front of the Salvatore Boarding House and noticed that her hands were shaking. She stared at them for a moment. She was falling apart. She thought that things would be easier or that things would be normal again, but she was drowning here in Mystic Falls. A place that she called home for so many years was starting to become a place that she hated.

"Bonnie…Bonnie!" Elena broke through her thoughts knocking on the window, "hurry, Stefan's in bad shape".

Bonnie felt a lump in her throat form as she grabbed her bag and opened the door, "How bad?" she asked as she and Elena rushed towards the house.

"Much worse than Caroline, maybe its because it's closer to his heart…I don't know…"

Bonnie rushed into the living room with Elena and noticed that Damon was standing near the couch where Stefan was eerily still. Bonnie dropped down to her knees and began searching through her bag as she felt Damon's eyes burning a hole in her back. She removed all of the ingredients to treat Stefan's wound. As she mixed them together and then spread it on the wound, she watched as the color spread to his face. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Bonnie.

"Thank you Bonnie", he mumbled.

She smiled as she stood up, "What happened?" she asked.

Damon and Elena exchanged looks and Bonnie noticed the tension in the room as Stefan frowned, "Ok, so you all have a secret that you're not sharing…well…ok…I'm just going to go about my business and you can call me when you need someone to save you, since apparently that is my job", she snapped as she picked up her bag.

"Bonnie…no…don't go", Elena rushed over, "things were just a little tense before Stefan got shot".

"Tense?" Bonnie asked.

"It was nothing, all is well—except that we have someone going around trying to murder vampires", Damon answered, "we need to find this guy and rip his head off".

"How can we do that if we have no idea who it is or how they even know that we are vampires, its like they have a list and they're picking us off one by one".

"But why wouldn't the person shoot Damon too, he was out there with Stefan?" Bonnie asked.

"Thanks Bennett", Damon deadpanned.

Bonnie shrugged.

"We need to get a new plan", Stefan said sitting up slowly.

"And fast", Elena spoke up.

"We should get out of Mystic Falls until we can find out exactly who this person and who's helping them because I'm sure whatever these arrows are made of is not exactly something that they could have found on their own", Stefan went on.

"Do you think witches are involved with this?" Bonnie asked.

"Entirely possible".

Bonnie closed her eyes, "Great", she deadpanned.

_Five Months Before_

"Damon Smith…or shall I say…", Shelia bent down and whispered in Damon's ear, "Salvatore, may I have this dance?"

Damon looked up at Sheila Bennett and smirked, "Always the charmer", he replied rising from his seat and walking over to the center of the dance floor with Sheila.

"Oh that would be you, you have no idea how many of the single and _some_ married woman in this town are all talking about the young Damon _Smith_ who breezed into town with a young woman that he has no relationship with...you are rather popular", she replied as they began to sway.

Damon smirked, "What can I say?"

"You can say that you understand that what you've been given is a gift".

"I realize that you made sure that Bonnie would have peace and that never included me…"

"How can you be so sure?" Shelia asked raising an eyebrow.

"Because I am pretty sure that your opinion of me was as low as an anyone's opinion could ever be and whatever you did to create this place for Bonnie, you made it ok for me to come here…so thank you", Damon answered.

Shelia nodded, "Just don't squander it".

"Look, I realize that this is chance for me to build a new relationship with Giuseppe and I am doing that".

"I see".

"And yes, its hard to not have Stefan or Elena around, but I am starting to understand my place here".

"After such a short time huh?" Sheila asked shocked.

"Well I know that for once Damon Salvatore won't beat death, so I have to accept my future here the best way I can".

Shelia nodded, "And what about my granddaughter".

Damon shrugged, "Your granddaughter and I are not the best of friends, I am sure you know that".

"My granddaughter did you a favor bringing you here with her, you make sure that she finds the peace that I moved heaven and earth for her to find", Shelia said ending their dance and walking away from the Damon on the dance floor.

Damon turned to see Bonnie standing with some of the younger women in town laughing and talking about whatever young girls spoke about here in this utopian Mystic Falls. She looked over and caught his gaze and mouthed, 'What?'

'Nothing' he mouthed as he allowed a small smile to form on his lips as he noticed the first true smile in ages spread across Bonnie's face.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

After Bonnie left, Stefan went to his room to rest from being shot and Elena sat in the living room with Damon. They sat silent for a few moments before Elena started talking, "I heard you earlier. I know that we thought we were doing what was best. I mean, Damon we thought…"

"You thought I was burning in hell", Damon smirked.

Elena smiled, "We wanted to save you and Bonnie".

"I know…Elena…" Damon began as he turned to look at her. She looked back at him and he could see the light in her eyes shining brightly, "you know, when I realized that I wasn't coming back to you, I told you that you were by far the greatest thing that ever happened to me in my 173 years on this Earth…and you were…"

He noticed the light dim in her eyes slightly.

"You taught me that I could be loved by someone, evil veiny eyes and all. By loving you, I became a better man", Damon said.

"Why are you saying all of this as if its in past tense?" Elena asked as Damon noticed tears forming in her eyes.

"A couple things changed Elena when I was away…"

"But it was only six months", Elena said standing up as Damon stood up to face her, "it wasn't that long…"

"Elena, it might have been only six months to you but it was eternity for me. When I said that I was happy in that place, I was. I had a chance to be a different person. I had a chance to live a life where I didn't have the Damon Salvatore baggage haunting me and I loved it".

"So…so what are you saying? That you don't love me anymore?" Elena asked.

"Elena, I will never say that I don't love you…but what I am saying…", Damon stopped and took a deep breath, "is that things have changed and its not fair to you and you know, I have never been one of those selfless guys—but you deserve for me to be selfless here, so Elena…I can't do this anymore".

Damon watched Elena's face crumble, "What do you mean…what do you…", she breathed as she ran her hands through her hair, "it's only been six months! Six months Damon! How could you be so in love with me before you died and now…"

Damon thought back to all of the conversations and moments that occurred over the past six months and looked back at Elena, "Things have changed and so have I", he answered simply.

**Well, ** **Damon has taken a step. Will Bamon be together now? (Nope…not just yet). There are a lot of things going on and this is only the beginning. **

**Please share your love or like. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you once again for your support with this fic. I appreciate all of your comments, reviews and feedback. It is greatly appreciated! I am continuing on and I know we all can't wait for Season 6 to see what happens with Bonnie and Damon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. **

_Present Mystic Falls_

Bonnie opened her eyes to rapid knocking on her apartment door. She sat up and looked at the clock, it was 8am and there were very little people who knew where she lived at the moment. She slowly moved towards the door rubbing her eyes and trying to tame her wayward hair. She was exhausted after leaving the boarding house and she just wanted to have as much peace and quiet as possible.

"Bonnie…it's Elena", the voice said from the other side.

Bonnie immediately stopped walking and stood in the middle of her apartment.

"Bonnie, I know it's early but I really need to talk", Elena called through the door.

Bonnie closed her eyes and then opened them again while sighing, "I'm coming…I'm coming", she called as she headed to the door and opened it.

Elena stood on the other side, she looked absolutely heartbroken and her eyes were bloodshot, "What's wrong, did someone else get shot?" Bonnie asked concerned.

Elena wiped her eyes, "No…it's Damon".

Bonnie's heart dropped into her stomach, "What…what happened to Damon?"

"He ended things with me".

Bonnie felt like a sense of relief and wasn't sure if it was the fact that Damon was ok or that he had broken up with Elena, "What…what do you mean?" she asked trying to ignore the slight happiness she felt deep inside of her stomach.

"He told me that he didn't feel the same way about me…about _us_ anymore…", Elena began.

Bonnie's mouth dropped. She knew that the last couple of months had changed Damon, but she never imagined that he would end things with Elena when they returned.

"But…that's…"

"Unbelievable, I know. It's only been six months Bonnie, how could feelings change so suddenly?" Elena asked.

"I…"

"And most of all, in the midst of his speech, he made me feel guilty. Guilty for wanting both of you back and I never thought that he would resent me for trying to bring you two back", Elena took Bonnie's hands.

Bonnie searched for the right words, but she was coming up empty, "I…I don't know what to say".

"What is there to say?" Elena cried, "what is there to say? The person that I thought I would spend eternity with decided after six months that he wanted something differently. I mean, I know that things were different ever since he came back, but I just thought it would pass".

"Elena, I know that you're upset, but Damon didn't just go on a trip—he was dead and you brought him back to life. I don't think it's as simple as you think".

"I know that Bonnie, I know that. I just, I love him and I never thought that he would end things with me like he did".

Bonnie shook her head, "I'm sorry", was all that she could muster as she hugged Elena as an unfamiliar feeling settled in her stomach that she tried to push down.

SSSSS

Stefan walked into the living room where Damon was standing by the fireplace looking at a picture of he, Stefan and Giuseppe, "Hey", he greeted him.

Damon turned and looked at Stefan, "Feeling better?"

Stefan shrugged, "Almost at 100%".

"Good", Damon sipped his cup of blood, "oh and I broke up with Elena just so you know".

Stefan raised both of his eyebrows, "You did?"

"Yes, I did and trust me, it was as horrible as you are probably imagining it to be", Damon rolled his eyes as he made his way to the couch, "there were tears and there was shaking of the head, but at the end of it all…I realized that it was one of the most unselfish things that I have ever done".

"Letting Elena go?"

"Things are not the same. Things are different".

"Because you and Bonnie lived a different life for the past six months?" Stefan asked.

"Bonnie…well…I don't know where she was, but I…"

"Damon, I know that wherever you and Bonnie were, you were together. I see the looks you give each other and what you don't say. She says that she doesn't remember where she was, but I do believe that she remembers and she feels the same way you do about being back…that we snatched you away from something that you enjoyed. That's probably why she broke up with Jeremy weeks ago".

Damon felt like he needed to get things off of his chest and after everything that he and Stefan had been through, why not his brother, "Bonnie and I were together…", Damon began.

_Other Mystic Falls-Five and a Half Months Before_

Ever since the night of the Founders Day Ball, Damon and Bonnie started to become true members of this alternate Mystic Falls community. Zach was preparing to leave for Paris and Giuseppe was spending time teaching Damon the ropes of running the B&B. Damon could not remember the last time that he actually worked in any capacity. Having a job was never at the top of Damon Salvatore's list, but working with Giuseppe and learning from him, talking about life was something that he never imagined that he would do either.

"So basically, things are pretty simple here. Our business usually picks up in the next month or so, but you will be ready and trained by then", Giuseppe replied.

Damon nodded, "What made you open up a place like this. I'm sure there are a million things that you could have done other than this".

Giuseppe chuckled and looked around, "Well, you're right. I could have traveled, became a lawyer or a doctor, but I somehow just fell into this. I can't explain how I ended up doing this, but what I do know is that I like what I do. I like seeing the smiles on people's faces when they feel as if I have opened my home to them and given them some refuge from whatever they moving away from".

Damon shook his head, "I feel like I knew you in another life, but I am glad that I met you in this one".

Giuseppe smiled, "I'm glad that you feel that way".

SSSSSS

Bonnie sat in Shelia's office looking through magazines to help Shelia with her interior decorating business. She thought for a moment before putting down the magazine, "Grams, how does this place exist and why does it feel like I've been here longer than just a little over a month?"

Shelia smirked, "Does it really matter?"

Bonnie shrugged, "I guess not, but I…should I feel guilty? I feel guilty. As time goes by, I almost feel grateful and relieved to be here", Bonnie frowned, "I dedicated soo much of my life to making sure that my friends were ok and alive, but now? I just feel relieved that I don't have to deal with that anymore. I'm here and things are…good".

Shelia reached over and touched Bonnie's cheek, "You were never meant to have a heavy load on your shoulders Child and _now_ you don't have that anymore. I know that you miss your friends and your mother, but Bonnie…you need this time to live a life that I am sure you haven't dreamed about in years".

Bonnie nodded, "I haven't thought of a grimiore in weeks", she smiled slightly.

Shelia smiled, "So tell me, what's going on in that boarding house?"

"What do you mean?"

"You and Damon, just friends?"

"Yes, god Grams…even though I am having a good time here, I can't forget that he is Elena's boyfriend", Bonnie shrugged.

Shelia smirked sat back in her chair, "Yes, of course…can never forget _that_".

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at Grams and when nothing else was said, she went back to her magazines.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

After Damon finished talking, Stefan sat looked at him, "So why did Bonnie say that she doesn't remember what happened?"

"I have no idea and don't ask her, who knows what that witch is thinking and if she knows that I told you anything, she would probably set me on fire", Damon replied.

Stefan nodded and looked down, "You were happy there?"

"Very…I'm sorry to say, but I was", Damon replied as someone knocked on the door, "oh a guest…who could it be?"

Damon walked over to the door, opened it and simultaneously received a sucker punch to the jaw. Before he could react, he felt the veins form around his eyes and the fangs protrude from his gums as he reached out and grabbed Jeremy by the throat and pushed him up against the wall lifting him up from the floor.

"Gilbert, you are really testing me?" he growled as he gripped Jeremy tighter as Stefan came over.

"Damon…let him go".

Damon looked back at Jeremy and was satisfied with the blue tinge creeping up on his face and dropped him gasping for air on the floor.

"She…loved…you…she…risked…every…thing", Jeremy choked as he gasped for breath.

"And you came over to what…show you're muscles to me, Jeremy the only thing that ever kept you alive was the fact that you were Elena's brother. Since we're not together anymore, what makes you think I will let you live one more minute", Damon bent down to stare in Jeremy's face.

"Jeremy, maybe you should go", Stefan replied quietly.

Jeremy stood up, "I always told her that you were a waste!" Jeremy spat out a Damon.

"And now she can agree with you", Damon answered moved closer, "anything else?"

"She should have left you in hell", Jeremy growled.

"Probably", Damon smirked, "but she didn't".

Jeremy moved closer to Damon, but Stefan moved in between them, "Jeremy, you really should go".

Jeremy glared at Damon, "Stay away from my sister".

"I will take that under advisement", Damon called as Jeremy stomped out of the house, "torturing Gilbert…_God_, I missed that", he smirked as he headed into the kitchen.

SSSSSS

"Do you want more ice cream?" Caroline frowned as she took Elena's bowl from her as the three girls sat around Bonnie's apartment.

Elena shook her head as she stared at the rom com on the screen. Bonnie glanced over at Elena and she felt guilty. She knew that she had a small role in Damon and Elena's break up and she felt increasingly guilty because a part of her was relieved. She was relieved that she would never have to sit back and watch Damon and Elena be affectionate. She was relieved that she would never have to hear any conversations where Elena wondered how she could find ways to get Damon in the mood and a small part of her was happy to know that Damon had given Elena up after he had done everything he possibly could to get her—and the possible reason he gave her up was because of his feelings for her.

"Bonnie, where is your booze?" Caroline called from the kitchen.

"I don't have any, I just moved in and I can't seem to find my fake ID", Bonnie smirked as she called to Caroline.

"I'm sorry that I am such a party pooper", Elena frowned.

"Oh sitting here with you talking about how much Damon sucks for ending things with you is my favorite past time, it's better than trying to figure out who's hunting us", Caroline replied, "and Bonnie, can't you conjure us up some wine".

"No Caroline", Bonnie shook her head as someone knocked on the door.

She stood up and sighed, who could possibly be knocking on the door now. She looked through the keyhole and smiled slightly—she welcomed this distraction.

She turned the doorknob and opened the door to Hudson standing on the other side, "Hi", he said brightly.

"Hi", Bonnie replied.

"I know you're wondering why I'm knocking on your door, but like I said a couple of days ago, I'm new in town and…", he began but was cut off by Caroline, practically pushing Bonnie to the side.

"And you want Bonnie to show you around town?" Caroline grinned.

Hudson stared at Caroline for a few moments with an open mouth, "Umm…"

"Hudson, don't mind my friend…she's a little…forward", Bonnie said trying to move Caroline out of the doorway.

"I see", Hudson said recovering, "well umm…I see that you are having some kind of get together, so I will see you later".

Before Bonnie could say another word, Hudson turned and headed to his apartment door and closed it behind him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Caroline frowned.

Bonnie looked at her and shook her head. For a moment, it felt like old times.

SSSSSS

Hudson rushed into his apartment and marched over to his closet, opening his lockbox and taking out the file inside. He looked through the pictures and then settled on the picture of the blond. "Caroline Forbes, Vampire", he whispered as he flashed back to the blond across the hall in Bonnie's apartment. He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed, "we have a problem, one of the vampires that I shot with the arrow…yeah, she's still alive…I don't know…it was supposed to kill her…ok…ok…I will". Hudson ended the call and looked over at his closed apartment door. Then he remembered waiting across the street from the blond vampire's house for her to come home. She parked her car and got out with a short caramel colored girl, but he never saw the other girl's face. He watched as they walked up the steps and then he pulled the trigger on his crossbow…he never saw the other girl's face until he realized just now…she lived across the hall from him and somehow, her friend had survived a death that was almost a sure thing. He had to figure out who was interfering in is mission and how he would stop them and quickly.

_Other Mystic Falls-Five and a Half Months Before_

Bonnie walked into the bed and breakfast where she found Damon in the front office looking over some paperwork. "Damon Salvatore _working_, this must be an alternate reality", Bonnie raised an eyebrow as she entered and sat across from him.

"Well we all have our roles to play here".

"And yours is…innkeeper…mild mannered non-serial killing vampire?" Bonnie asked.

"And is yours non-judgmental witch…oh wait…you are still judging", Damon smirked.

Bonnie laughed, "I am not judging you, this is just different. That's all".

"This entire place is different. For one, we're not constantly fighting for our lives".

"And you're not threatening my life or someone I care about".

Damon looked up at Bonnie and sat back in his chair, "Do you really miss the old Damon Salvatore?"

Bonnie shook her head, "Not really, this Damon Salvatore is pretty impressive".

"Compliments coming from Bonnie Bennett…unheard of".

Bonnie smiled, "I give compliments when they are deserved and I think I should give you one now, I know that we've only been here for a short time—but I'm actually starting to consider you a fri…a fri…"

"Go ahead and say it Bennett", Damon grinned leaning forward.

"A friend", Bonnie answered rolling her eyes.

Damon chuckled as he sat back in his chair, "And why is that?"

"Well because apparently in an alternate universe, you're not a colossal douchebag".

"I see".

"And trust me, it is truly a mind trip to sit here across from you and say these things", Bonnie gestured between them, "I mean, ever since we first met—I've kind of hated you".

"You wound me".

"You tried to kill me, Damon…more than once".

"You can't hold that first one against me, I thought you were Emily".

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Judging".

"And then there was the whole poker after Stefan died…"

"You were already dead!" Damon exclaimed.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes.

"Ok…ok…Bonnie, I am saying to you today, in this Bed and Breakfast where I work very hard to make your stay pleasant that I am sorry for everything that I have ever done to you", Damon said sincerely.

"Why?" Bonnie asked.

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

"Why are you sorry for everything you've ever done to me?" Bonnie clarified, "I mean, you never cared before now…you always said that you would gladly let me die if ever came down to me or Elena, you never cared about me before…you killed my mother…you threatened to kill Jeremy many times, why are you sorry now?"

Damon opened his mouth, but heard a knock on the door, "Oh sorry you two, am I disrupting?" Giuseppe asked in the doorway.

Bonnie looked at Damon and he noticed something come over her eyes, it was almost like a shield had been put up, "No, we were done", Bonnie said standing up and brushing past Giuseppe.

Giuseppe looked at Damon, "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want a young woman as beautiful as her to be angry at me".

"Bonnie and I have a kind of love/hate relationship".

"I see", Giuseppe replied amused, "I was wondering if you could drop off this envelope to Shelia at her office in town".

"Shelia Bennett?" Damon replied less than happy.

"Yes, do you have a love/hate relationship with her too?" Giuseppe asked handing Damon the envelope.

"You have no idea", Damon mumbled as he headed out of the office.

_Present Mystic Falls_

Caroline and Elena went out to pick up some blood from the blood bank, while Bonnie picked up the empty ice cream bowls and pizza boxes from their rom-com/post break up fest. She sat down on the couch and took a few breaths. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on in her life or whatever she was doing now, because she didn't feel as if she was living.

As she gathered up her trash bags to sit them outside the door, she found Hudson standing outside her door again.

"Hi…umm…I'm sorry, Caroline can be a little pushy sometimes", she apologized.

"It's ok, how long have you two been friends?" Hudson asked.

"Oh since we were little…elementary school actually".

"I see…I guess that's why she was so protective of you?"

"Something like that, but was there something that you wanted to ask me?"

"Umm…yes actually, I was wondering if you would be willing to show me around town being that I'm new and all…", he replied, "and I also wanted to get to know you a little better".

Bonnie felt her face melt slightly because of how she knew she had to answer, "I'm sorry Hudson, but…"

"Hey…I understand, I'm a stranger and you really need to be weary of strangers".

"No…I…well…I've just had a lot to deal with over the past couple of months and I'm just not ready to…"

"Date?" he answered for her.

Bonnie nodded, "I'm sorry…that's horrible me and I guess I'm being a little presumptuous because all you asked me to do is show you around town and…"

"I actually wanted a date, but I would settle for just a lunch or a dinner…or just a visit to the best take out place in Mystic Falls", he smiled crookedly.

Bonnie smiled slightly. She was being silly, she could have lunch with him. God knows at this point, she needs to do something different than saving her friends and worrying about who was trying to kill them.

"Umm…sure, we can do dinner one of these nights", she shrugged.

Hudson grinned, "Good…good, how about tomorrow night?"

"I think I can do that", Bonnie answered.

"Very good and unfortunately, you will have to pick the place because I know very little about Mystic Falls".

Bonnie thought for a moment, "I have the perfect place, so 7 tomorrow?"

"Sounds good…and thank you Bonnie, I know that this is not a date but it helps to have a friend here", Hudson smiled before turning to go to his apartment.

Bonnie walked into her apartment and closed the door. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach, but she pushed it down. She wondered what was wrong with her because she really wanted to say no to Hudson, but she needed something to draw her away from her thoughts about her Grams, The Other Mystic Falls and Damon.

She walked over to her phone to see if Caroline and Elena had texted her and saw that she had a text from Damon, 'Meet me where it all began', it read. She closed her eyes as she felt butterflies form in her stomach, ones that didn't form when she was just talking to Hudson or the entire time she was with Jeremy since she came back. She began to text him back, that she couldn't, especially with Elena and Caroline probably on their way back, but instead she found herself scribbling a note and picking up her bag leaving the apartment.

_Other Mystic Falls-Five and a Half Months Before_

Damon opened the door to Sheila's office building, "Shelia", he called looking around at the peculiar decorations that she had littered throughout the office space.

"He sent you", Shelia deadpanned as she appeared from the back with a disapproving smirk.

"And it is nice to see you again", Damon grinned as he handed her the envelope.

Shelia glanced at him as she opened the envelope, "So are you enjoying working with Giuseppe?"

Damon looked at Shelia, "I am. It's a second chance that I never thought I would have and not sure I ever wanted for that much".

"Well I can say that you are less of a bastard in this reality".

Damon smirked, "Thanks".

"And I need to share something with you…I did not design a destiny for you here. This place was supposed to be for my granddaughter. It was supposed to be a place where she could find some peace from a life that was often tumultuous for her. When she took your hand before The Other Side disintegrated, she brought you here and changed this place to benefit you as well. Bonnie, like she has done soo many other times, took pity on you and she ended up saving you, so if you want to thank anyone for what you have now…you thank Bonnie".

Damon nodded, "I understand".

"Oh and one more thing, this is your new reality…the old life that you had, its gone now…remember that", Shelia replied.

"I realized that some time ago", he replied.

"Good".

SSSSS

Bonnie stood in the middle of the bed and breakfast kitchen making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She wasn't sure why she snapped at Damon earlier, but she felt a little better since she did. Although they were having a better time in this alternate world than she ever imagined, she couldn't let go and there was no way that she could so quickly. After all that Damon has done to her and those that she cared about, how could she just take his sorry so easily? Granted, she watched him change his ways since they arrived in this place—but was that enough to erase everything?

"Bonnie, you know Zach would kill me if he knew that you were here making your own food", Giuseppe smiled as he walked in and leaned against the counter.

"I've been here over a month, I think I am far from a guest".

"You are still a guest, so I never want to see you making your own food again…if you get hungry, wake up Damon", Giuseppe winked as he leaned on the corner.

"I think I like that idea", Bonnie smirked.

"So when you two first got here, I could sense some sadness there. I don't know what you two were running from, but now I see big changes and dare I say it…you two seem happy here. Looks like you found a kindred spirit in Shelia".

"I have, she's almost like a grandmother to me".

"Good…good…", Giuseppe nodded, "so are you going to tell me what you and Damon were talking about before I walked in?"

Bonnie concentrated on her sandwich, "It was nothing".

"It looked a little more than nothing".

"Before we ended up here, me and Damon were not the best of friends and sometimes that sneaks up on us and we just revert to old habits".

Giuseppe moved closer to Bonnie, "When you first got here, I could tell Damon didn't like me very much".

Bonnie shrugged non-committedly.

"But I think that we've made some strides, he's a unique individual".

"That's one word to describe him".

"With some pain buried deep down".

Bonnie thought about Damon's face after he first came face to face with Giuseppe, "Well I think whatever he had to deal with, he's dealing with it and its all turning out for the better".

"Well all I have to say is that whatever you two are arguing about…fix it…you two are some of the most entertaining guests I have ever had".

"Is that good or bad?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't be in here if it was bad", Giuseppe replied touching her shoulder, "I can see that Damon is a lot like me when I was younger, sometimes you just need maturity to set in…be patient with him".

Bonnie began to opened her mouth, but decided to just nod as Giuseppe smiled at her and walked out of the kitchen. She took a bite of her sandwich and then put it down as she thought about Giuseppe's words.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

Bonnie trekked through the woods looking around as she made her way through to the ruins of Fell's Church. As she walked through the woods, she had flashes of the last time she was in these woods…when she woke up in that alternate reality and the most happiness that she's had in her entire life began.

When she moved through the clearing, she saw Damon standing in front of the church looking at the ruins. She took in breath a little. If she really let her mind go, it was almost as if they were back in the other Mystic Falls, with their simple lives and with people that they needed more time with.

He turned around, looked and her and set butterflies flying around in her stomach. "Damon, we really shouldn't be out here…not with someone hunting vampires", Bonnie said looking around.

"Well I'm here with the person who can save me, so I will be ok", Damon smirked.

"Oh…of course", Bonnie snorted.

"I was joking, Judgey".

"I know", Bonnie answered.

"So I'm sure you heard…"

"Yes, I heard. I spent the day with Elena and Caroline trying to stop Elena from falling into a million pieces. Damon, how could you break up with her…she fought so hard to get you back and…"

"Because I'm not in love with her anymore and you know that", Damon answered, "you know what happened over the past couple of months, you know how things changed, you know how _I've_ changed. Things are not the same, things are different now and because I do love her, I couldn't go on being with her not feeling the same way that she does. You may think that as soon as we ended up back in this hellhole that things are the same, but their not. You know as well as I do, that if I was the same person I was when we first died…I would have continued with Elena. I would have been selfish and allowed her to pour everything into me and I give her only half of me, if even that. I couldn't do that to her and I don't want to".

"But she…"

"But what Bonnie!" Damon exploded, "I don't understand what you want from me".

Bonnie felt the tears well up in her eyes, "I don't know…", she ran her hands through her hair and breathed out, "I don't know how to deal with this here. I can't…", she felt the tears leave her eyes, "I can't reconcile being here with all of the feelings and experiences that I had when we weren't here. We were different there, things were different there, we were happy…we built relationships that we never had a chance to build before and now, we're back here with those memories and feelings and its just hard".

Damon watched her wipe her eyes and he moved closer to her, "I understand but maybe one reason why it's hard is because we're pretending that things haven't changed".

Bonnie nodded as the tears flowed from her eyes. Damon reached over and touched her wiped away a tear with his thumb, "Bonnie, you are twisting yourself into a pretzel acting like nothing has changed, but it has. Things are not the same", he said quietly.

"I know that", Bonnie said quietly.

"I told Stefan about what happened over the past couple of months".

Bonnie's eyes opened wide, "Why would you do that?"

"Because this was suffocating me and I didn't want to keep it in any more".

"When did you become someone who can't lie?" Bonnie asked.

"I guess when I got sucked into the white light with you", Damon smirked.

Bonnie smiled slightly as she shook her head, "I can't tell Elena about the last couple of months, she wouldn't understand…I don't even completely understand it".

"But why are you suffering? Bonnie, maybe you need to take a lesson out of my old book…be a little selfish sometimes".

She looked up at him, "Bad habits…", she shrugged.

"And I guess I should tell you this because you will find out eventually because he's a little whiner, but I almost killed Jeremy today", Damon rolled his eyes.

Bonnie eyes widened, "Why?"

"Because he was getting on my nerves", Damon shrugged, "he came over like you know he always does, he punched me and I tried to choke the life out of him".

"Damon…"

"But I didn't kill him, see…progress".

"Was he angry about what happened with Elena?"

"Of course, but it's none of his business. Young Gilbert has always had a problem with coming after those who could snap him like a twig".

"Jeremy is passionate", Bonnie replied, "but he means well".

Damon scoffed, "But that's enough about him, we need to stop pretending that we were in separate places and that things didn't change while we were away...", Damon softened as he moved closer to her cupping her cheek, "because things _did_ change".

Bonnie looked up at Damon, "I don't want anyone to get hurt…"

"Neither do I", Damon whispered as he closed the space between them with a kiss. The kiss was soft with just a hint of passion underneath, "but I am done pretending that I don't want you Bonnie Bennett", he whispered in her ear.

_Other Mystic Falls-Five and a Half Months Before_

Damon walked into the kitchen of the B&B and noticed Bonnie sitting out on the deck of the house. He watched her for a few moments, she was just looking up at the stars. Before this moment, he never noticed her ever seeming so calm. She always appeared to be uptight and judgey before, but he guessed that it was understandable—she was young and she had the weight of the worldon her shoulders.

He slid the door open to the deck and walked outside. She didn't acknowledge his presence, so he moved closer and sat down next to her, "As you know, I'm not good at a lot of things…especially when it comes to apologizing and using words in general", Damon began, "and I know that I've done some horrible things to you…", Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him, "and those you care about, there's no excuse for what I've done in the past but I think this place is a new beginning".

"It's supposed to be".

"So I'm changing and I hope that you accept my apology and for the record, I am sorry for what I've done because I know that I was a selfish ass that put my wants above everyone else's", Damon replied, "but I am changing, a work in progress if you will and I am trying to be a better person".

Bonnie saw the sincerity in his eyes and she knew that he was being truthful, "You have changed and I do see changes…so yes, I accept your overall apology".

"And one other thing, I am well aware that the only reason why I am here is because you took my hand before we went into the white light and I am grateful for that. I know that I don't show gratitude often to people who deserve it, but thank you Bonnie…you not only saved me, but this experience with Giuseppe…I think it's changed me for the better and gave me a glimpse of how things could be and could've been".

"Well is it really a glimpse anymore?" Bonnie asked, "we're here for the rest of our lives, which may very well be forever. This is it. So it's not just a glimpse anymore, this is our life and whatever person you are here or you're becoming here, is who you are now, Damon".

"And what about you?" Damon asked.

Bonnie shrugged, "I'm still trying to find out".

"We're not going back Bonnie, I know it's hard to accept—but this is our new reality".

Bonnie looked over at Damon sitting next to her and frowned, "What has this place done to you, you are much less of a jackass here".

"Thank you, I guess that's as close to a compliment as I can get from you", Damon feigned hurt.

"No…no", Bonnie laughed, "I see the change and it's nice".

"Thank you and we better get inside before Giuseppe gets out his listening equipment", Damon said holding out his hand.

Bonnie looked at Damon's hand and took it as he pulled her out of the chair. They walked over to the door and Bonnie stopped, "Despite everything, I'm glad that I'm here not exactly alone", she replied.

"Well Bennett, I feel the same way…I need someone here who knows the real Damon Salvatore…love him or hate him", Damon bent down to look in Bonnie's eyes.

"What's the middle ground between loving or hating someone?" Bonnie smirked.

"I don't think you want to know", Damon wiggled his eyebrow.

"Really?" Bonnie scoffed in disgust stomping into the bed and breakfast as Damon's chuckles followed her.

Bonnie walked into her room and closed the door behind her, but she couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at Damon's last statement.

**Looks like in both worlds Bonnie and Damon are starting to become closer. Stay tuned…**

**Please show your love or like…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello Everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I appreciate all the reviews and just the support. I realize the show puts us fanfic writers in a tough spot with Bamon and Delena, but it is a challenge to craft a story and I am trying. Thank you again for all of your support. **

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

Bonnie rushed into her apartment and closed the door after leaving Damon near the church. She touched her lips softly as she closed her eyes and breathed. Damon's words from earlier that evening echoed in her ears…

_She pulled away from his kiss as he hands rested on her cheeks. "I know that things are different now. I know that we had a taste of something that was much better than the life we are living now, but I need you to take advantage of one thing that we do have here…it's exactly like what we had a couple of months ago…", Damon whispered. _

"_And what is that?" Bonnie asked. _

"_We have each other"._

"_Damon, I just need some time. It was hard when I believed that we would never see Elena again, but now that I see her and…"_

"_Bonnie, we are back in this Mystic Falls and I need to remind you…in __**this**__ Mystic Falls, I am not the most patient man", Damon replied. _

Bonnie opened her eyes and felt her body still humming from being in Damon's embrace. It was wrong, but out there in the woods was the first time in a long time that she felt right.

_Other Mystic Falls-Four Months Ago_

Damon entered the Mystic Grille with Giuseppe for lunch. Giuseppe invited Damon to a council meeting and it was a surreal experience. He sat around most of the people who were dead in the Mystic Falls that he knew. They were talking about things such as town festivities and other issues such as whether or not to put a statute up of one of the old Mystic Falls mayors. There was no mention of vampires, witches or any unexplained murders and it was surprisingly calm for him. Damon didn't do calm and he had no other choice to wait for the other shoe to drop.

As they sat down at a table, Giuseppe began speaking, "So I noticed that you and Bonnie are thick as thieves again, talking out on the deck almost every night?" he smirked.

"We are getting along and it also comes with the fact that we realize that this is our new home and things are not changing, so we have to accept it".

"What about your life before you came to Mystic Falls?" Giuseppe asked, "I noticed that you and Bonnie don't speak about it often, but what was it like…where was it?"

Damon shrugged, "It was different than here, I was a different person…I know that you can't believe it, but I was kind of a jackass".

"Nooo", Giuseppe gasped with a hint of a smirk.

"I know…hard to believe for sure", Damon shook his head, " I was selfish, I did whatever made me happy and the hell with everyone else—but I found love and I thought that it would change me. The girl chose me and I thought that I could be a better person, turns out, I really wasn't".

Giuseppe nodded, "And what about your family?"

Damon opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by Vicky coming over, "Well I haven't seen you since the day you and that girl were here, nice to see you", she smiled.

"Well I've been around…"

"And I see you found your family", Vicky turned to Giuseppe, who raised an eyebrow.

Damon looked from Vicky to Giuseppe and could see Giuseppe's confusion. He could have choked the Female Donovan right then and there.

"I remember you asked me about finding the Salvatore boarding house".

"Umm…Vicky…its nice to see you too, can you give us a few moments to decide what we want", Damon replied forcefully staring Vicky down.

"Ok…ok…I will come back in a few minutes", she rolled her eyes walking away.

Damon turned back to Giuseppe and couldn't read his face. "She's something", Damon chuckled.

"Would you like to tell me what she was talking about?" Giuseppe asked, "are we related?"

Damon grimaced as he stared back at Giuseppe.

_Present Mystic Falls_

Bonnie tried to ignore Jeremy staring at her from across the room at the Salvatore boarding house. Alaric had called them all there and Bonnie felt increasingly uncomfortable as the moments went by. The only people in the room who could stand to be in a room with each other at the moment were Carolyn, Stefan and Alaric. Everyone else was on pins and needles in some way, shape or form.

"I analyzed the arrow and the type of vervain used to make the arrowhead is a special strain. It's definitely not anything that comes from Mystic Falls", Alaric explained.

"Could a witch be behind it?" Stefan asked.

"It's possible", Alaric replied.

Bonnie felt a part of her heart drop into her stomach. She really wasn't up for a fight with witches.

"But something doesn't make sense, I mean…it seems like whomever is behind this wants to kill vampires, but they didn't shoot Damon too when you were shot Stefan. I imagine if there's a witch with a vendetta, they would have Damon be #1 on their list", Caroline replied.

"He should be the only one on the list", Jeremy mumbled.

"Blondie, watch it…and Young Gilbert, I would trod lightly if I were you", Damon smirked.

Bonnie watched Elena stare at Damon and she immediately looked down at her hands. Elena still looked as if her heart was broken.

"Maybe whomever is behind this made the list when Damon was technically dead", Bonnie spoke up.

"That is definitely a possibility, but our bigger problem is that the person killing vampires will notice that some of their victims are still walking around and that may cause a bigger problem for us", Alaric replied, "so we need to come up with a way to protect ourselves…"

Bonnie looked down at her phone and noticed the time, "Umm…I'm sorry, but I have to go…" she replied standing up.

"Yes, Bonnie has a date with her hottie neighbor", Caroline grinned.

Damon lasered his gaze on Bonnie as Jeremy stared at her with eyes full of hurt, "Seriously Bon?" he asked.

"It's not a date", Bonnie replied, "but I do have to go…I will call you guys to get an update", she called as she picked up her bag and headed out of the door.

As she walked out to her car, she heard someone walking behind her, "Wow…I didn't think that you would move on so quickly after that big break up speech", Jeremy called behind her.

Bonnie stopped walking and turned to face him, "It's not like that".

"Oh really, what is it like?" Jeremy challenged her.

"Jeremy, I know that you are hurt and I know that you didn't expect me to end things with you…especially how we left things when I disappeared, but I changed. Everything changed while I was away and I'm different. I feel differently, but I can only say that I'm not going on a date with my neighbor, now I have to go", she replied getting in her car.

SSSSSS

Damon poured a glass of blood as he heard Alaric strategizing with Stefan. He gripped the glass so tightly that he could hear it cracking slightly.

"Damon…", Elena said walking up behind him.

"Hi", he turned to her, "I know you don't want me to ask, but how are you?"

"I'm trying to keep it together. Even when you were…gone…I always had some hope and then you come back and you say what you said the other day and I feel like, I lost you all over again and it hurts so much right now".

"Elena, you have to believe what I said to you the other day. You loved me and being with you was something that I will always look back on and know that I changed. I want to be better Elena this time, but I can't be better as your boyfriend. I can't lie to you about how I feel".

Tears fell from Elena's eyes, "I really lost you when you died didn't I?"

Damon nodded slowly.

_Other Mystic Falls-Four Months Before_

Damon chuckled, "What…what do you mean are we related…of course not. I think it would be impossible".

"I beg to differ", Giuseppe replied leaning closer to Damon, "you have been curious about my life since you showed up. You asked me questions about my past loves, why I decided to start a business here…everything about my life and now, Vicky Donovan who can't hold water brings up the fact that when you first came to town, you were looking for family…the Salvatores", Giuseppe went on, "I remember when you first saw me, your eyes looked like you hated me and you turned and ran away from the house. You were standoffish in the beginning as if I did something to you personally".

"It wasn't like…"

"What is your mother's name?" Giuseppe interrupted.

"What?"

"What…is…your…mother's…name?" Giuseppe asked slowly.

Damon looked into Giuseppe's eyes and he knew that they were eyes of determination. If he lied, he felt as if Giuseppe would start digging for some kind of truth and if he told the truth…well he didn't know what would happen.

"Damon, tell me your mother's name", Giuseppe stated again.

Damon met Giuseppe's eyes, "Mary", he answered.

Giuseppe looked at him for a few moments with unblinking eyes, "I have to go", Giuseppe said standing up.

"Wait…let's talk, let me explain", Damon stood up.

Giuseppe held up his hands, "I have to go Damon…", he replied again before rushing out of the restaurant almost knocking down Vicky.

"Wait…what's going on...?"

Damon felt a rage that he had not felt in months as he stood up from the table. "What happened?" Vicky asked.

Damon stood up towering over her taking deep breaths, "I could choke the life out of you right now", he said in a voice he barely recognized.

Her eyes went wide and she backed away from him as he brushed past her leaving the restaurant.

SSSSSS

Bonnie sat on Damon's bed watching him pace back and forth for 15 minutes mumbling to himself, "I don't understand why you had to tell Giuseppe the truth", she shook her head.

"Well _Bonnie_…for once, I decided to be the anti-Damon. You know, tell the truth and you know what happened, it ruined everything!" he raged.

"No, I don't think anything is ruined. Giuseppe will come around and I think he will embrace this".

"It was all because of that bitch Vicky Donovan, I could have killed her today".

"Damon…", Bonnie began.

"You didn't see Giuseppe's face when I told him my mother's name, he looked as if he wanted to get as far away from me as possible".

"Damon…", Bonnie began as he walked over to the desk in the corner and picked up the chair throwing it against the wall, sending wood everywhere.

She stood up from the bed as she watched a Damon appear that she hadn't seen in months, "I told the truth and you see what happened…you see what being better did!" he exploded as he picked up a glass and threw it up against the wall.

"Damon what are you doing!" she screamed.

"I'm being me Bonnie! I'm being the person that you remember…turns out, I'm the same here in this Mystic Falls that I was there!"

"Damon, things are different here…"

"Nothing is different, Bonnie. He found out that I could be his son and he ran away from me…he rejected me! How is that any different than what I went through with him before? I was fine as some stranger, surrogate son but the thought that I could be his real son sends him running away?"

"I honestly don't believe that is true. After the way he's embraced you. The way that he has taken you under his wing and the way he speaks about you. Damon, Giuseppe sees you as a son he never had", Bonnie said sympathizing with Damon for the first time since she met him, "I don't know what else to say to you for you to believe that".

"Is there anything to say?" Damon asked sitting down staring at the wall.

Bonnie opened her mouth, but then she noticed Giuseppe standing in the door.

"Bonnie, can I have a few moments with Damon please?" he asked.

Bonnie looked at Damon, who shrugged, "Give it a chance", she whispered before heading out of the room.

Damon met Giuseppe's eyes and braced himself for what would come.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

"What do you know about this neighbor that Bonnie went out with?" Damon asked casually walking over to Caroline in the middle of the Salvatore living room.

"I know that he lives across the hall from her and he's gorgeous, why do you care?" Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"For all we know, he could be the one going around shooting vampires".

"Oh right…sure…whatever", Caroline rolled her eyes and headed over to Elena.

Damon rolled his eyes. This was definitely something he had to look further into. Although, he believed Bonnie when she said that it wasn't a date; he also didn't trust that this neighbor had pure intentions where Bonnie was concerned.

SSSSSS

"This town seems pretty quiet, has it always been this quiet?" Hudson asked sitting across from Bonnie at the Mystic Falls Bistro.

Bonnie smirked, "Umm, not really. However, I like it…I need some quiet in my life right now".

Hudson nodded, "I understand".

"So what brings you to Mystic Falls, I don't believe you mentioned it".

"Oh just a little work, I'm a contractor if you will".

"Oh really, so how long do you think you will be here?"

"As long as it takes to get the job done".

Bonnie nodded, "I see".

"So did you say that you just came back to town not too long ago, were you away at college?"

Bonnie chuckled, "No, not exactly. I just had to go away for a bit that's all".

"And you just fell right in with your friends again as soon as you came back?"

"Well we grew up with each other, so we're like sisters at best".

Hudson sat back, "So you know everything about each other?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "Yes…", she replied guarded, "what do you ask?"

"So if I wanted to find a way to romance you, I could just ask them?" Hudson winked.

Bonnie relaxed a little and laughed, "You could, but Hudson…you would be wasting your time".

"You never know what tricks I have up my sleeve", he wiggled his fingers.

Bonnie laughed and it was a true laugh. She almost felt comfortable with Hudson, but she didn't feel any sparks, "Hudson, we can be friends but we can't be anything more than that".

Hudson sat back, "Well I tried, but I do want to get to know this place better and your friends too…you seem like a fun crowd".

"Ok, I will definitely let you know if we do anything that may be of interest…but we're actually pretty boring nowadays".

"Oh I am sure", Hudson smirked at her.

SSSSSS

Stefan watched as Damon sat looking at the fire with his glass of brandy in his hand. He watched as his brother's jaw clenched and then relaxed, "Maybe you should go talk to her", Stefan replied.

"I can't say anything else to Elena. There are no more words to be said and I think every time I say something to her, it makes her feel worse".

"I was actually talking about Bonnie", Stefan smirked sitting down next to Damon.

"Why would I need to speak to Bonnie?"

"Because you two are the only ones who understand what its like to be back here after being in that other Mystic Falls and I know that you are leaving something out about your time there, but I won't judge you", Stefan replied, "talk to Bonnie, maybe you will feel better".

"I don't want to talk to Bonnie", Damon replied.

"Ok…so what do you want to do?"

Damon sipped on his brandy, "Go back to where I was, but that's impossible".

"Then you need to make this place as close to that one as possible", Stefan answered.

Damon downed his brandy and smirked, "You have no idea what you have challenged me to do".

"I think I have an idea", Stefan smirked.

_Other Mystic Falls-Four Months Before_

Bonnie rushed into Sheila's house, "Damon told Giuseppe that he's his son and he told me that Giuseppe just left him in the Grille, everything is going to fall apart now Grams", Bonnie spoke hurriedly.

Sheila looked up at Bonnie taking off her glasses, "Bonnie, calm down and all of this excitement over Damon Salvatore?"

"Grams, you didn't see him…"

"I'm sure he was upset Bonnie, but I am sure that things will work out between them. Giuseppe is a good man".

"So Damon telling Giuseppe won't cause things to go wrong here, I mean…things won't change?"

"Do you want things to change here?"

"No, I mean…I wish that I could see my dad here, but I realize that he's not apart of this place for some reason but no…I like this place. It's been amazing over the past couple of months not worrying about saving anyone or doing magic".

Sheila smiled, "So, being that this place is one where you can relax and live your life just for you…so Bonnie Bennett, what are you going to do with the rest of your life here?"

"What…what do you mean?" Bonnie asked.

"Well Damon is finding himself, how about you start to find yourself", Sheila replied.

"But Grams, I'm fine".

"Of course you are, but you need to be better than fine".

"Grams, I have you. I have a life where I don't have to worry about someone killing me every five seconds. I'm happy", Bonnie smiled taking Sheila's hand.

Shelia nodded, "Ok, if you so".

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at Grams. Maybe she needed to try something new here. She had been treating this place like a temporary home, perhaps she needed to really come to terms that this was her new reality and embrace it truly.

SSSSSS

"Well I guess I should apologize for running out on you in the Mystic Grille", Giuseppe replied walking into Damon's room.

"Well I can't say I expected that", Damon chuckled humorlessly.

"You know, as much as I thought we got along like family—I never thought that you would say that you were my son".

"I never thought I would say it either".

Giuseppe sat down on the bed next to Damon and looked at him, "Since I left you in the Grille, I've tried to think…I've tried to figure out how I missed it and tried to figure out how you are just like her or even me".

"I think most people would say that I'm like you, if anything", Damon smirked.

"Who are these people?" Giuseppe furrowed his brow, "who else knows?"

Damon realized his slip, "Bonnie, that's it. She uh…knew what I was coming here for".

"And what about your mother…"

"She always let me know who my father was, I just came here to be sure and see if you were someone that I could get to know".

Giuseppe looked at Damon thoughtfully, "You have her eyes you know".

"I know", Damon said quietly.

"This is going to be different, having a son…wow…who knew?" Giuseppe shook his head, "you sure you can handle being my kid because I know nothing about being a father?"

"I think I can", Damon replied, "especially now and you are much more of a father to me now that anyone has ever been".

"I think we need to get away from here for a couple of days, just to have some time to talk. Have you ever been camping?" Giuseppe asked.

Damon's mouth dropped. Camping? He hadn't thought of anything of the such in over 100 years.

"We leave tomorrow at 5am, we need to talk about a few things", Giuseppe grinned standing up and walking over towards the door.

"Great", Damon deadpanned as Giuseppe smiled at him walking out of the room.

As much as he wanted to balk at the idea of _camping_, he couldn't. Camping was the one thing that Giuseppe actually did with he and Stefan when they were younger and Damon guessed, it was still his method of bonding. Either way, the truth was out there and he felt something bubbling in his stomach and it appeared to be…contentment.

SSSSSS

Moments later, Bonnie heard Giuseppe go into his room and close the door. She waited for a few moments before heading down to Damon's room. She didn't hear any furniture breaking, so she knew that whatever went on between them couldn't have been that bad.

She knocked on the door as he stood over his bed putting clothes into a duffel bag. "Wait…what are you doing?" Bonnie rushed in and stood near him and his bag, "you can't leave".

"Bonnie…"

"Look, I know that we have never been the best of friends and before we got here—most days I hated your guts, you were selfish and psycho and you hurt people…"

"Is this your speech to get me to stay?" Damon cocked his eyebrow.

"Look…we came here together and we need to stay here together", Bonnie replied forcefully.

"You really want me to stay here with you?" Damon asked crossing his arms and focusing on Bonnie.

Bonnie backed up slightly, "Well…since you're here and you're the only one besides Grams who knows everything that happened…"

"Just say it Bonnie", Damon smiled widely.

"Say what?"

"Simple…_Damon, don't go, you're the only one I have here. I don't have many friends because I'm judgey and kind of a stick in the mud…so please don't go_".

Bonnie stared at him for a few moments, "Do you need help packing?" she deadpanned as she picked up one of his shirts up off the bed.

Damon chuckled and removed his shirt from Bonnie's hand and he felt something weird when he touched her hand, but pushed it down, "I'm not leaving this place, per se".

"What are you doing then?"

"Giuseppe has decided that we need to bond and he wants to do it in the wilderness".

"What?"

"Camping, he wants to go camping".

Bonnie looked at Damon and then began laughing, "Seriously?"

"Yes, apparently that is one trait that carried over", Damon rolled his eyes.

"And you're going?"

"Yes…I'm going because I realize that if nothing else, I _want _this. I _want_ to have Giuseppe as my father here, not looking at me with disapproving eyes but with eyes that tell me that I'm the son that he always wanted".

The sincerity in Damon's voice almost knocked Bonnie off her feet. He actually sounded like someone resembling a human being.

"Well I'm glad that you are getting the father you always wanted", Bonnie smiled at him, "so when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow".

"Hmm…good luck with that then", Bonnie replied, "I will leave you to packing".

Damon nodded as Bonnie started walking towards the door, "Hey Bonnie…", he said meeting her at the door.

"Yes and I'm not helping you pack".

"No, that's not what I was going to say. I was going to tell you…thank you", Damon replied, "thank you for being concerned about the whole…uh…Giuseppe thing".

"You're welcome", Bonnie smiled.

"Even when someone has been a complete ass to you, you can still have sympathy for them…you are something", Damon shook his head with an amused grin.

"I guess, birth defect actually", she shrugged.

"No, you are really something", Damon said as his hand found itself on top of Bonnie's hand on the doorknob.

For a moment, Bonnie felt like she was outside of herself as she and Damon stared at each other for a few moments. She saw him leaning forward and she heard a voice in her head saying no…no…no…over and over, but she was almost frozen in place as his face came closer to hers and she almost automatically closed her eyes as she felt his lips touch hers. The kiss was soft (softer than she thought it would be, if she ever thought about kissing Damon which was never) and it was sensual, but nice and…wrong.

As Bonnie felt Damon wrap his arm around her waist, her eyes automatically opened and she broke the kiss moving away from him.

"Bonnie…", Damon said.

"Don't talk to me and never touch me again", she hissed rushing out of the room and down to her own slamming the door.

Damon stood in his room somewhat shell shocked…what exactly did he just do and more importantly, why did he do it?

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

After leaving the restaurant, Hudson told Bonnie that he had to head to the gym and she headed home to her apartment. When she stepped inside, she removed her jacket and closed the door. She looked over at her coffee table as her talk with Hudson crept into her mind. She stood over the table and picked up a picture of Elena, Caroline and herself. It was taken the year before Elena's parents died and they looked so young and carefree. Their smiles were genuine and they had so much hope and promise in their lives. They weren't exactly perfect back then, but they were better. Bonnie looked at herself in the picture and noticed how brightly her eyes shone. She was happy then. She knew what happiness was and recently, she had realized what it was again.

Bonnie placed the picture back on the table and picked up the picture of her and Grams. All Grams ever wanted for her was to be happy. She told Bonnie over and over again not to sacrifice herself (or her happiness) for someone else's. Her Grams created an entire universe to make her happy and allow her to learn to put herself first. She thought she learned that a couple of months ago, but she since arrived back in Mystic Falls…she wasn't so sure. She fell right back into the Bonnie who helps or the Bonnie who considers everyone else before herself. Her Grams never wanted this for her again and she fell right back into her role. She felt the tears pool in her eyes. "Grams, I'm so sorry", Bonnie said as the tears fell from her eyes, "I'm disappointing you".

'Then stop' a voice said in Bonnie's head as her doorbell rang.

She turned to the door as she placed Grams' picture down, she almost believed for a moment that Grams would be standing on the other side. She wiped her eyes as she headed towards the door as the person began knocking rapidly on the door. She rushed to the door and flung it open as Damon stood on the other side.

He rushed in, "Are you alone?" he asked.

Bonnie closed the door, "Yesss".

"Ok…this is what I am going to say and you are going to listen…", he began.

"Really?"

"I broke up with Elena, I was being selfish…I ended things with her because I refused to come back here and be the same Damon in every way".

"Damon…"

"And you came back here and you are being the same Bonnie, the same exact person who sacrificed everything for everyone else…"

"Damon…"

"And I made a promise to Shelia that you would _not_ lead the life that you did before, you are not going to sacrifice your happiness for _anyone_", Damon replied, "I want you and I'm done pretending that I don't".

Bonnie looked at Damon and he stood in front of her, in her apartment in this Mystic Falls, where she should hate him and everything that he did—but the problem was…the problem that she's had since she woke up in that coffin months ago that she didn't look at this Mystic Falls the same way. Her feelings weren't the same, her thoughts weren't the same and the way she felt about Damon wasn't the same. Good or bad…her feelings changed.

"You're right", Bonnie said quietly before she jumped up slightly to wrap her arms around him his neck as he held her flush against his body with one arm.

SSSSSS

"Stefan, you really don't have to call me every day, I'm fine", Elena replied as she walked up the steps at the new Gilbert house.

"Well I know that you have been upset since things ended with Damon…"

Elena chuckled, "Isn't it a little weird that you are comforting me about your brother breaking up with me?"

"What about our lives is exactly normal?" Stefan replied.

"You're right", Elena said as she took her keys out of bag. As she went to put the key in the door, she felt a prick in back and then saw a piece of metal sticking out of her chest as blood splattered on the front door, "Stefan…"

"Elena…what's wrong?" Stefan asked.

"I've been shot!" Elena cried as she immediately felt blood coming from her mouth as she dropped to the ground, "I've been shot".

SSSSSS

When their lips connected, Bonnie felt like her entire body was on fire. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he cupped her bottom and they kissed feverishly. Bonnie threw back her head giving Damon access to her neck, which he kissed, suckled and bit gently. She moaned as she felt herself getting caught up in his kisses and the fact that her body was on fire. When he slowly let her go and she felt her feet touch the floor, they stopped kissing for a moment and Bonnie found herself breathing heavily and looking into his crystal blue eyes, which were clouded over with desire. She nodded at him and he nodded back at her as he pulled her back to him and pulled her into a searing kiss. Bonnie mind shut off as Damon leaned down and pushed everything off of the coffee table, causing magazines, books, mail and picture frames to fall and break, he placed Bonnie on the table never once breaking their kiss.

As they gave into the passion that had been building for months, Damon grasped Bonnie's tank top and ripped it from her body throwing it across the room as she slipped his t-shirt over his head kissing his chest as she threw the t-shirt on the floor. She grabbed the belt on his jeans and loosened the buckle, as she worked his pants down with her own jean clad legs. He smiled at her as he bent down to slid her jeans off with such ease that she never noticed when he loosened the buttons. As they went down on the table, taking clothes off and finally joining skin to skin, Bonnie felt like for the first time in a long time that she was back in heaven as she threw her head back allowing herself to enjoy every moment of this. She missed this…she missed herself.

At that moment, Bonnie was so caught up in the passion that she had with Damon, that she never noticed her phone ringing on the floor with Caroline's face filling the screen or the shattered picture frame that contained a picture of the three best friends lying on the floor.

**Well Present Day Bamon let it all go and embracing each other. Bonnie just made a decision that she will have to deal with. **

**We also have to deal with the fall out. Then there's The Other Mystic Falls Bamon, they have a longer road in front of them. **

**Please show your love/like and thank you for your reviews. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support with this fic and your continuous reviews and messages. I appreciate the support and the love that you have shown me. **

**How about that new Season 6 Promotional Poster…huh?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

_Four Months Ago-Other Mystic Falls_

Damon plopped his bags down in front of the cabin where he and Giuseppe would be staying for the next week. He expected a tent, so he was pleasantly surprised when Giuseppe pulled up in front of the log cabin. He still remembered the dismal times that he and Stefan had trying to erect a tent while Giuseppe barked orders. For a moment, a feeling of sadness came over him remembering the laughs he had with Stefan as Giuseppe yelled at them.

"Expecting a tent?" Giuseppe smirked.

"Actually yes", Damon answered as Giuseppe opened the door.

"Well a couple of years ago I would have been interested in a tent—now, not so much. I need the luxury of running water and a kitchen".

Damon nodded as they walked inside and he took a look around. He was impressed, but his mind was drifting off to what exactly happened the previous night with Bonnie. He wasn't sure what happened exactly and he spent all night thinking about it. His feelings were definitely confusing at the moment. Not only because he kissed Bonnie, but because of Elena. He still had his moments when he thought about Elena and what they shared. As much as he was enjoying his life with Giuseppe, sometimes the sadness of missing Elena crept in and he couldn't exactly push it down.

"Something bothering you?" Giuseppe asked.

"Umm…it's too early", Damon answered, "so where's my room?"

Giuseppe shook his head and pointing down the hallway.

SSSSS

Bonnie walked into Sheila's house with an overnight and immediately she was taken back. The house was decorated exactly as it was in the Mystic Falls she just left. It brought tears to her just to be in this house again and it smelled…it smelled like the incense that her Grams always burned. It was a mix of lavender and vanilla.

She sat her bag down and walked over to the bookcase to look at the pictures Shelia had gathered. Bonnie was a little disappointed that she wasn't in one of them, but she would definitely change that soon.

"Well you know, I am a creature of habit in some ways", Sheila replied entering the living room.

"I love that your house is the same. I need something to be the same here", Bonnie frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Sheila asked.

Bonnie looked at her as she flashed back to Damon kissing her the night before. She knew if she told Grams, Grams would hate it.

"No…nothing's wrong", Bonnie smiled crookedly, "just thinking about the Other Mystic Falls and how…how I have to realize that this is not it".

Sheila nodded, "It is definitely not".

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

His kisses adorned her neck as her legs were intertwined with his as they lay in the middle of her bed. Bonnie giggled as Damon rubbed his hands along her torso sending her into a giggle. She hadn't 'giggled' in so long that it was almost a foreign sound to her. He settled on top of her and looked down, "Do you want to be anywhere else?" he asked.

"No", she whispered as he closed the space between them with a kiss.

Bonnie breathed deeply as Damon laced his hands through hers as they moved in a slow rhythm.

SSSSSS

"We really should get out of this bed", Bonnie smiled as Damon wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"We really shouldn't".

"It's almost 2, we've been in this room all night and half of the day, people are probably trying to get in touch with us".

"They functioned without us for six months Bonnie, they can function without us for one day".

"Damon…", Bonnie sat up leaning on her elbow looking down at him.

"Don't you start…", he warned her.

"Last night was great, it was like the first time in ages since we came back that I felt ok".

"Exactly, so don't sabotage this".

"I'm not going to sabotage this Damon, I care about you…a lot and I want to continue this", Bonnie began, "but I don't want Elena or Jeremy to be hurt".

Damon sat quietly for a few moments and then sat back sighing with his hands behind his head, "Do you remember how it was when we first woke up in that Other Mystic Falls?"

"Yes, I missed being here".

"But do you remember how we got used to being there and how things were so easy?" he asked.

"I remember that you turned into this…_at peace_ Damon", Bonnie smirked, "while I was kind of the wreck".

"We learned some lessons there and one of yours was to consider what makes you happy and go for it".

Bonnie nodded and then smiled, "I know, Grams drilled that into my head over the last couple of months".

She laid back down and put her head on his chest, "Do you miss them?"

"Every day", Damon said as he twirled a tendril of her hair around his finger.

"Sometimes, when I'm by myself I get angry…", Bonnie said quietly concentrating on her fingers, "I get angry that people who claimed to love us so much ripped us from where we were and brought us back here".

Damon nodded as Bonnie went on, "I mean, I can't blame them. I did the same to Jeremy…so…but I was with my Grams and things were perfect. It's just hard to think about a world without them now".

Damon didn't say a word as he stared at the wall as he heard Bonnie's breathing slow down as she fell back to sleep. Besides having to look at Stefan and Elena in their faces and feel the anger of them ripping him away from the only peace he had ever known in his very long life, he felt the ache of his missing Giuseppe. The relationship that they built had shattered in one moment in that other world and he was the cause of it.

_Four Months Ago-Other Mystic Falls_

"You're a pretty good fisherman, I'm kind of surprised", Giuseppe smirked as he and Damon walked into the cabin.

"Must be the genes", Damon answered as he sat down the cooler.

"Must be", Giuseppe chuckled.

Damon was actually surprised that he was able to bait the hook so easily after all these years. He realized that it was true that some things were just like riding a bike.

"I guess I will filet some of our catches and make dinner tonight".

"That works".

Giuseppe nodded as he headed into the kitchen and Damon followed, "So how was your step-father? I know Mary got married…"

Damon thought for a moment…oh yes…this was a slightly different universe, "He wasn't the nicest. I felt like I was always a disappointment to him. It could have been because I wasn't his real son or I just didn't live up to some expectation that he had for me. After my mom died, I just kind of took off…rebelled a little…did some things I'm not proud of".

Giuseppe nodded, "Was he mean to Mary?"

"No, I think he cherished her…I do believe that".

"I'm sorry that I wasn't man enough back then to be with her, but I…I wasn't ready to be the man that she deserved and I know that you would have probably hated me if I was your father from the start".

Damon chuckled, "Maybe".

"But we have this time now and that's all that matters".

Damon nodded.

"So…what happened last night between you and Bonnie, I heard her door slam not too long after I left your room".

Damon was trying to push what happened with Bonnie out of his mind, but he knew that Giuseppe wouldn't drop it, "Well I did something kind of stupid and she didn't appreciate it".

"Well what did you do?" Giuseppe asked handing Damon a beer as he began to cut into the fish.

"I kissed her".

Giuseppe turned to him and laughed, "I'm listening".

"There's not much to tell. Ok…for a lack of a better of words, after what happened with you yesterday in the Mystic Grille, I freaked out a little…she listened, she told me that all hope wasn't lost in her own Bonnie way and we just had a moment…I'm not even convinced that I had control of my body when I did it".

"Well she is a very beautiful young lady".

"Bonnie and I were never friends".

"But how do non-friends end up on a roadtrip together?"

"It's a long story and besides all of that, I'm in love with her best friend and…"

Giuseppe's eyes raised, "Wait…what…"

"It's complicated".

"So I am gathering".

"Her best friend and I…we had something that I have never had before, but it was also destructive".

"So you're in love with her best friend, who's not here and I have never witnessed you speaking to on the phone, but you're here with Bonnie, who you are barely friends with? Damon, I hate to break it to you, but that sounds a little crazy".

"I know", Damon said sipping his beer, "but suffice to say, Bonnie borderline hates me even more now".

"But something must have changed to make you want to kiss her last night?"

"Proximity?" Damon suggested.

"And why did you two start on this road trip".

"Things happened and we both needed to get away, that's all…nothing illegal, it just…we just went on this journey together".

"And you feel nothing for each other?" Giuseppe asked.

"Right now, I would say that we have been downgraded to enemies again", Damon answered.

SSSSSS

After Grams hounded her about getting out of the house and doing something, Bonnie decided to explore this Mystic Falls. She found herself at Robert E. Lee. She sat on the bleachers looking out at the football field. She remembered being a cheerleader there on Friday nights with her two best friends without a care in the world. A couple of months, she would have killed to come back here where everything was calm and she could just live her life as a teenager…but she was barely a teenager anymore.

"You're a little early for the football game", a voice said from above her.

Bonnie froze as she remembered that voice, she looked up and came face to face with Luka Martin, "Umm…I…was…"

He chuckled as he sat next to her, "It's no biggie, I sometimes come here to run around the track".

"Oh…"

"I'm Luka, Luka Martin", he stuck out his hand.

"I know", Bonnie said without thinking.

Luka looked confused, "Wait, have we met…do you know my sister Greta?"

"Umm…no, I'm sorry maybe I saw you around town or something…I don't know", Bonnie said a little flustered.

"Oh…", Luka said.

"Luka, I didn't know you were coming here", a voice called from the field.

"Oh hey Vicky", Luka grinned, "excuse me", he stood up and heading down the bleachers to meet Vicky greeting her with a kiss.

"Ok…Bizarro world", Bonnie whispered under her breath as Vicky headed up the bleachers as Luka took a phone call below.

"I see you met my boyfriend", she smiled and stated in a way to make Bonnie aware she was staking her claim.

"I did", Bonnie nodded slightly amused. The way Vicky flirted with Damon, you would never know she had a boyfriend.

"He's really nice, you should find you someone like him because your friend that you came into town with is a _complete_ psycho", she stated, "he threatened me when I let it slip harmlessly that he was looking for Giuseppe".

"I will take that under advisement", Bonnie replied as Vicky turned around and headed down the bleachers.

Luka waved at Bonnie as he and Vicky walked off of the field.

"Damn you Damon", Bonnie mumbled.

SSSSSS

_Present Day-Mystic Falls_

Damon kissed Bonnie softly on her slightly damp from sweat forehead as he moved to lie next to her, "We have to get up", Bonnie said feeling as if her legs were like jelly.

"No, we don't because as soon as we do—this will all cease to exist, we will go right back pretending that we don't feel…", Damon caressed her cheek, "what we feel for each other".

Bonnie felt her stomach flip flop, she had tried to push it out of her mind—but at some point, they would have to tell people.

"No, I'm not going back to that", Bonnie said shaking her head as someone began banging on her apartment door.

"Who the hell is that?" Damon grumbled.

Bonnie suddenly felt a wave of fear come over her as she hopped out of the bed throwing on a t-shirt, "Damon, you have to get dressed…"

"Bonnie! Where are you!?" Caroline's voice came through the apartment door.

Damon noticed the deer in headlights look that Bonnie got as she took off running out of the bedroom before he could say a word.

Bonnie's heart was beating rapidly in her chest, she had to get to Caroline before she did something crazy like break down the door. Bonnie whipped the door open and Caroline looked at her alarmed, "Bonnie…where in the hell have you been!" Caroline exclaimed entering the apartment.

"I…I was sleep…I turned off my phone, what's wrong?" she asked suddenly wishing that she had on more than just t-shirt…Caroline was sometimes overly perceptive.

"Elena was shot last night and she's in bad shape, we've been calling you all night and day!"

Bonnie felt like something in her chest ripped, "Oh my god…umm…I'm sorry…let me get my stuff and put on some clothes…"

"And we've been calling Damon too…", Caroline said as she walked into the apartment looking around and heading towards the bedroom.

"Care…we have to go…", Bonnie said rushing behind her and realizing when they reached the bedroom that it was empty. Bonnie's heart dropped…he had heard Caroline and he had rushed to Elena.

"Bonnie, we need to go", Caroline said.

Bonnie felt the lump in her throat come and the tears form in her eyes, "I know…I know…give me a moment", she said heading into the bathroom.

"We have to hurry", Caroline called after her.

"One minute Caroline!" Bonnie called back as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She slammed her hand into the mirror shattering it and in the process, she cut her hand but she didn't even feel the pain.

SSSSSS

Damon rushed into the Gilbert House and noticed Elena lying on the couch where Stefan was holding her with his arm wrapped around her. She was pale and he could see blue veins all over her arms and her face. "What…what happened?" Damon asked rushing over to them.

"She was shot with one of the arrows, but its affecting her differently…do you know where Bonnie is, Jeremy and Alaric spent all night looking for her. They went to her apartment nd she never answered the door…Caroline finally decided to go over to her apartment again this afternoon", Stefan replied.

Damon remembered hearing someone at the apartment door, but he was too busy concentrating on Bonnie to focus on someone at the door.

Elena's eyes fluttered open, "Da…Damon", she whispered weakly, "you're…here".

"Where else would I be?" Damon smirked, "were you feeling left out".

"Where's Bon…Bonnie", Elena asked.

"I'm right here", Bonnie said rushing in with her bag as Stefan picked up Elena up and laid her down on the couch.

"Bon…I…understand…if…if it's too late", Elena began.

"No, don't even think it…I will make you all better", Bonnie said avoiding Damon's gaze the entire time.

Stefan stood up as Bonnie began to start the healing process of Elena and stood next to Damon. Caroline stood in the room looking from Bonnie to Damon and Bonnie concentrated solely on Elena.

SSSSSS

"She just went into the Gilbert house, she rushed in with Caroline Forbes", Hudson stated as he sat in his car down the street from the house.

"And she's been the common factor each time one of those vampires somehow survives one of my arrows?"

"She is", Hudson confirmed.

"She's a witch".

"Are you sure".

"The only way a vampire can survive a shot to their body by one of those special strain arrows is if a witch is casting some kind of spell or healing them, she's a witch".

"What do you want me to do?" Hudson asked.

"Remove her from the equation, she is interfering in the mission".

"If she's a witch, there is very little I can do to her".

"Kill her", and with that, the call ended.

SSSSSS

After Bonnie finished healing Elena's wound, she expected her to start looking better but that wasn't the case. "She was affected for a lot longer than me and Stefan, it will probably take some time", Caroline said as she and Bonnie watched Elena sleep, "I wish you had let me heal your hand".

Bonnie looked down at her bandaged hand, "It's fine it will heal on its own and I know that she will be ok eventually".

"Why is someone doing this?" Caroline asked.

"It's what people do to us", Bonnie replied simply as she walked away from Caroline to sit by Elena's bed.

Bonnie stared at Elena and at the blue veins that spread all across her face and her arms. While she was with Damon, her best friend was lying in her house dying. While she was having sex with Damon, Elena was dying and she couldn't push away the feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach. The feeling, that not only did she feel horrible for taking so long to help Elena, but because she didn't regret one moment she spent with Damon over the past couple of hours. Bonnie covered her eyes as tears slipped through them.

"Bon, I'm going to come back…ok", Caroline replied.

Bonnie nodded as Caroline left the room.

SSSSSS

Damon poured a glass of blood and stared at it for a few moments, "Elena's fine in case you care", Caroline snapped.

"I'm not in the mood Blondie", Damon sung sipping his blood and staring in the glass.

"But of course, I know you care because you rushed here from…_Bonnie's_", Caroline replied.

Damon sat his glass down calmly and within ten seconds, he had Caroline pinned up against the wall, "I am not in the mood Blondie", he repeated through gritted teeth.

"What are you doing with Bonnie?" Caroline asked as he held onto her arms staring directly into her eyes.

"That is between me and Bonnie", Damon said dropping his hands, walking away from her and going back to his cup of blood, "and that is all I am saying to you".

"You're taking advantage of her, she's vulnerable right now and…"

"Caroline, I am fighting every fiber of my being not to rip you limb from limb in this kitchen, just go".

"Caroline…Damon…everything ok in here?" Stefan asked standing in the doorway.

Caroline glared at Damon, "Everything's fine", she snapped walking out of the room.

"I really am not interested", Damon pointed at Stefan before he began to speak.

"I know, Bonnie's upstairs. I think she's in one of the guest rooms, maybe you should go talk to her", Stefan replied narrowing his eyes.

Damon downed his cup of blood and left the kitchen.

He headed up the stairs where he noticed Caroline sitting next to Elena on the bed. He paused in the hallway for a moment and then he headed to the closed door down the hallway. He opened the door to see Bonnie sitting on the bed staring out of the window.

He paused for a moment and then closed the door behind him.

She was holding her bandaged hand in her lap.

"You should have asked Caroline to heal that", he replied quietly.

"I didn't want her to heal it".

"Bonnie…"

"You raced here to Elena, you left my apartment as fast as you could and raced to Elena".

"I didn't…"

"You did", Bonnie said turning to him, "you did".

"Bonnie, I left because I knew that Chatty Kathy Caroline would be in your bedroom in a heartbeat and I know that you're not exactly ready to go public. I did want to check on Elena, but I knew that you wanted to make sure that Caroline didn't see me. Look, Bonnie…I'm doing the best I can here", Damon replied exasperated.

Bonnie stood up and walked over to him, "Things are getting worse here, I wish we were back there", she replied quietly.

Damon wrapped his arms around her and brought her into an embrace, "I know".

_Other Mystic Falls-Four Months Before_

"Can anyone do magic here?" Bonnie asked as she filed some of the client folders for Sheila.

"Why would you ask me that?" Sheila asked looking away from her computer monitor.

"Well I was at the high school today and ran into Luka…Luka Martin. I know that he was a warlock in the Other Mystic Falls and I was just curious. He also mentioned his sister…"

"Magic doesn't exist here, outside of the magic that created this world. Why? Would you prefer that you were able to do magic?" Sheila asked.

"Sometimes", Bonnie shrugged, "I mean, when I first found out that I was a witch—I hated it. But as time went on, it became a part of me and I missed it when it was gone".

"I miss it sometimes too, but after all that happened in that other Mystic Falls because of our magical abilities, I appreciate the life I lead here".

Bonnie nodded, "I guess I'm having a hard time just being normal now".

Shelia looked and Bonnie, "I need you to try and with Damon and Giuseppe gone, you need to find something to do. How many times do I have to tell you that this your time to do whatever you want?"

Bonnie turned to Grams, "I don't know what that is".

Grams stood up from her desk and took Bonnie's hands in hers, "Then that is very sad, Child. Did you not envision anything outside of helping your friends?"

"It's been so long…"

"Close your eyes", Sheila said.

"Grams…"

"Bonnie".

Bonnie closed her eyes.

"Now, if you could be doing anything in the world…what would you be doing and it has to be something for yourself, no one else".

Bonnie smiled as she saw a vision in her head, "I would be painting…I remember I used to do that a lot when I was younger".

"Then there you go", Shelia replied, "there's a class at the community center, go to it".

"I guess I'm just scared to start anything here because then it will feel like…"

"It's permanent?"

Bonnie nodded.

"I'm sorry, but it is".

"I know Damon has grasp that concept, I haven't".

"Well I can understand why, Damon's has seen people come and go for over a hundred years…he's lived a long life Bonnie, he's said goodbye plenty of times".

"Yes, he has the ability to let things go very quickly", Bonnie said moving away from Sheila.

"What does that mean?"

Bonnie sighed as she looked up at Grams. As much as she wanted to forget it, she couldn't and maybe if she spoke to Grams and got the conversation out of the way…it would go away and she could forget it ever happened. She also thought it was weird that the only person she had to discuss her love life with was her Grandmother…she really needed a friend…

"So before Damon and Giuseppe left. Damon was upset about everything that happened with Giuseppe in the Mystic Grille and I decided to ease his fears about Giuseppe rejecting him and he took that to mean that he should…kiss me".

Sheila stared at Bonnie without batting an eye.

"Grams, did you not hear me. He kissed me…Damon kissed me…my sworn enemy and my best friend's boyfriend decided that it was best to put his lips on mine".

"And did you enjoy it?"

Bonnie's eyes bugged out and her mouth dropped, "Of course not! He's Elena's boyfriend. He is someone that I barely can stand. Grams, Damon kissing me is like repulsive Grams!"

"Was it now and what did you do after he kissed you?" Grams asked.

"Told him never to touch me again and I went to my room and did not come out until they were gone the next morning".

"Well I guess that's that", Sheila shrugged.

"Well you guess that's that?" Bonnie shook her head, "Damon kissed me".

"And you told him never to touch you again. You've said that he's Elena's boyfriend and that you are _sworn enemies_…I would say that the moment that you shared…"

"It wasn't a moment shared Grams…god…I've only been here for a couple of months, I just left Jeremy…I…"

"Bonnie, I understand", Grams chuckled, "you don't have to convince _me_ that the kiss meant nothing".

"It didn't".

"Then why are we having a conversation".

"I was just telling you", Bonnie said folding her arms.

"And now you have, how about you head over to the Community Center and sign up for the painting class", Sheila replied amused.

"Fine", Bonnie said picking up her bag and leaving the office with the chuckling of Sheila following her.

She didn't understand why Grams found the kissing funny; Bonnie was positively mortified and didn't see it changing one bit.

_Present Day Mystic Falls_

Later that evening, Bonnie poured a glass of water from the refrigerator as Jeremy entered the kitchen. When he saw her, he paused momentarily and then entered the kitchen. "Elena's going to be ok", Bonnie spoke up.

"She doesn't look it".

"It will just take some time, she was infected for a little while longer than everyone else".

"That's because you didn't answer your phone or your apartment door… were you still busy with your date?" Jeremy snapped.

Bonnie flashed back to her and Damon on her coffee table.

"Jeremy, it wasn't a date".

He scoffed, "Sure it wasn't, my sister almost lost her life while you were 'not on a date'".

"Jeremy, please stop being angry with me", Bonnie replied, "things are not easy for me either".

"You're dating, so they can't be that hard", Jeremy snapped as he walked out of the kitchen almost bumping into Stefan.

"He hates me", Bonnie said staring at her glass of water, "and who am I fooling? He should".

"Bonnie…", Stefan began.

"No, I know how it feels to want someone back so badly. I can't imagine what it was like for him to have me come back and not want to be in a relationship with him".

"Things change".

"But that's not easy to understand", Bonnie said, "I don't know what to say or do".

"I know that things are complicated", Stefan replied.

"He told you, didn't he?" Bonnie whispered looking at the door.

"I figured that things were different between you two when you came back. How different? I didn't know, but Bonnie I understand how certain situations can change you".

"I don't know what to do anymore", Bonnie shrugged, "well that's wrong, I know what I want to do, but it will devastate Jeremy and Elena".

Stefan nodded, "But when do you get to be happy?"

Bonnie looked at Stefan, "I was happy for a couple of hours last night and today, but I was also being selfish".

Stefan reached over and placed his hand on Bonnie's, "Maybe if anyone deserves to be selfish, you are that person".

She smiled.

SSSSSS

Damon sat next to Elena's bed staring down at her. The veins were slowly disappearing, but they were still present to remind him that she had been shot by the hunter. He wracked his brain trying to figure out ways to catch this hunter, but he was coming up empty.

Ever since he returned to this Mystic Falls, he felt as if he was walking through a fog. He didn't feel like himself. One moment he found himself with Giuseppe and the next, he was saying goodbye to him.

As he looked down at Elena, he remembered the Damon that was so in love with her that he didn't know which end was up. However, he couldn't lie that the Damon who dug himself out of that coffin was not the same person who had fallen in love with Elena.

"Dam…Damon", Elena said stirring.

"Hey", he said, "how are you feeling".

"Not too great, I've never felt like this before", she said opening her eyes, "but I'm glad that you're here with me", she reached up to touch his cheek as he caught her hand.

"I just want to make sure you make it through this".

Elena nodded, "I miss you".

Damon nodded, "You just have to concentrate on getting better".

She smiled as she closed her eyes again.

Damon shook his head as he stood up heading out of the room. He met Stefan in the hallway, "I…I can't stay here", Damon said.

"I will stay here with her", Stefan replied, "go home".

Damon nodded as he headed down the stairs.

SSSSSS

Damon parked his car in front of the boarding house. When he came downstairs at the Gilbert House, Bonnie was already gone. He wasn't surprised. He could almost feel the guilt radiating off of her body earlier. He felt guilty. There was no way that he couldn't feel guilty knowing that if Elena found out about him and Bonnie, that she would be devastated—but he couldn't help the way he felt. Never in a million years would he have thought that he would have developed feelings for Bonnie, but he did and he wasn't one to hide his feelings for long.

He noticed the familiar car in front of the boarding house as he took out of his keys. He headed up the stairs quickly and reached the front door. He stuck his key inside and found Bonnie in the foyer, "I really didn't want to go home alone…I didn't want to be alone", she replied heading over to him, "I wanted to be with you", she said hugging him.

He hugged her tightly lifting her up off the floor burying his face in her neck.

SSSSSS

The next morning Bonnie opened her eyes to Damon staring down at her, "What are you doing?" she asked looking at him.

"Studying you…I honestly believed after you found out about Elena that you would end this", Damon replied.

Bonnie looked up at Damon, "I thought about it, but I decided a long time ago that I have to do what makes me happy and surprisingly, you make me happy".

"Wow…Bonnie Bennett declaring that Damon Salvatore makes her happy, imagine that".

"Maybe it was written in the stars".

"Right…", Damon said doubtfully.

"Sometimes I think it was, especially when we were in that other Mystic Falls. Things came together and then it just hit us, beyond all logic and everything else".

"Giuseppe and Sheila are probably chuckling it up".

Bonnie nodded, "This would be soo much easier if we were there".

Damon nodded in agreement.

Bonnie looked down at her wrapped hand, "I want to be with you here…on this side, but we can't just come out and let everyone know about this".

"Bonnie, its going to be hard to keep this a secret", Damon said thinking of Caroline's statements to him yesterday.

"I know, but not for long…just until Elena is better, Jeremy can look at me without fire in his eyes and we catch the person going around shooting vampires".

"So in the next decade?" Damon raised an eyebrow.

Bonnie couldn't help but smile, "I just want things to slow down a little".

Damon looked at Bonnie. He knew that she was having a hard time being back and she was trying to make the best of the situation, "Ok, but as soon as things get under control…"

"We will tell Elena and Jeremy", Bonnie said.

"Can that be tomorrow?" Damon asked.

"Only if we catch that hunter at least tomorrow", Bonnie replied.

"Damn it", Damon said kissing Bonnie on the neck.

"Damon, this feels so wrong right now…", Bonnie whispered.

"But do you want me to stop?" Damon asked looking up at her.

"No…" she whispered.

_Other Mystic Falls-Four Months Ago…_

Bonnie finished packing her bag and rushed down the stairs of the Bed and Breakfast. She had her first painting class at the community center and she didn't want to be late. As she headed to the kitchen to get an apple, the front door of the Bed and Breakfast opened and she immediately heard Damon and Giuseppe's voices as they entered the house. She paused in the hallway as Damon noticed her and Giuseppe did as well. Her heart felt as if it would jump out of her chest.

"Bonnie! What a sight, after spending a couple days with this guy it's nice to see a pretty woman", Giuseppe smiled.

"Umm…hi…I'm sorry, but I'm late for class", Bonnie said moving past them as Damon grabbed her arm.

"Class?" Giuseppe asked.

"We'll talk when you get back", Damon whispered.

"No and I have painting class", Bonnie replied heading out of the door.

"Well that was interesting", Giuseppe replied.

"And that is what I told you…", Damon shook his head.

"Well I guess you better start finding another avenue to reach her, I like Bonnie and if she decides to leave boarding house because of you—I will have a problem with _you_", Giuseppe replied.

"Great", Damon deadpanned.

SSSSS

Bonnie rushed into the community center for her class. She wasn't sure how she felt seeing Damon after he kissed her, but it didn't necessarily make her feel good. She looked around the room at all of the students sitting in front of easels. She found an empty space and sat her bag down as she breathed deeply.

"Don't worry, the instructor is kind of a hard ass—but he's not too bad", the girl sitting next to her leaned over and said.

Bonnie turned to her and she was a little taken back.

"I'm Greta", she replied sticking out her hand.

"Bon…Bonnie", she stumbled as she shook Greta's hand.

"You're new in town, right?" Greta raised an eyebrow.

"Umm…I've been here for about two months, how did you know?"

"Well this is a small town and everyone pretty much knows each other".

"Ah, well that is definitely true because I met your brother the other day and his girlfriend Vicky".

Greta rolled her eyes at the mere mention of Vicky, "Yes…_her_, hey…are you seeing anyone?"

Bonnie laughed, "I'm really not looking to date".

"Damn…my brother needs someone other than her for sure".

Bonnie couldn't help but laugh. The only thing she remembered about Greta was Damon snapping her neck. She never knew why she decided to work with Klaus or why she left her family.

"I'm sorry", Bonnie said, not sure exactly what she was apologizes for.

Greta shrugged, "Oh well, I guess we can just stick to being classmates in this painting class and we will be lucky if we survive this one".

"Excuse me…you two Divas in the back, may we began now?" the instructor called out to them.

Bonnie looked up as the instructor glared at her as she and Greta exchanged smiles and began listening to the instructor's speech about great art.

SSSSSS

"That wasn't too bad", Greta said as she and Bonnie settled down in a booth at the Mystic Grille after class.

"No, it wasn't…it was actually pretty fun. Since I came here, I haven't focused on much and that was a nice distraction".

Greta shrugged, "I needed something too. I mean, my father's so busy at the University most times and Luka's so caught up in Vicky—things get a little boring at home and Mystic Falls is not exactly a happening town".

"Oh and your mother?"

Greta looked at Bonnie for a quick moment and then focused on her soda before shrugging.

"I understand", Bonnie replied sympathetically.

"But you know, this place is nice. I like it".

Bonnie nodded.

"So what brought you to Mystic Falls?"

"I kind of just landed here", Bonnie shrugged, "I'm currently staying at the Salvatore Bed and Breakfast".

"Oh with that new cute guy with those blue eyes?" Greta lit up.

It took everything within Bonnie not to roll her eyes—if Greta only knew, "How did you know?"

"Small town and when a new guy comes who is at least 50% attractive, word gets around".

Bonnie nodded, "I do live there with him…but we are in separate rooms, we are just…", Bonnie trailed off looking for the right name, "acquaintances".

"Hmm…interesting", Greta said with a devilish smirk.

"He is definitely not what you would expect", Bonnie replied.

"Well I don't infringe on people's territories soo…"

"Oh no…no…no…it is nothing like that".

Greta narrowed her eyes, "Did I mention that Vicky is also a town gossip?"

Bonnie laughed, "Well moving on from Damon, thank you for today in class. I don't know many people in town and it was nice to have someone to talk to".

"No problem and Bonnie, if you want to hang out…just let me know".

"Thank you", Bonnie smiled, not realizing how happy she was to actually have a friend in this new place that didn't consist of Damon or her Grandmother.

SSSSSS

By the time Bonnie reached the Bed and Breakfast, she headed up the stairs to her room. Everyone's bedroom door was closed and she was hoping that Damon was sleep or whatever he did at night. She closed her room door and began to take off her knee boots, when Damon appeared walked into the bedroom from her bathroom.

"What are you doing in here!" she stood up immediately folding her arms.

"If I asked you could I come in, you would have said no", Damon smirked.

"And what does that tell you?"

"That you can be unreasonable".

"Damon, we really have nothing to talk about. I was trying to be a _caring_ person towards you and of course, you take that as permission to kiss me. It was disgusting".

Damon blinked, "Disgusting?"

Bonnie sighed, "Damon, we have never been much of a friends, you know that and let's not forget that you are in love with Elena".

"Look, I don't know what happened the other day. We were in my room and you were being…you were being a friend to me while I was acting like a complete jackass and I didn't think…I just did".

"Well you can't do it ever again".

"I understand that".

"Because while we may be closer than what we used to be and while I think that you are changing, you are still the man who Elena loves. I know that this is our new reality and this world doesn't include Elena, but she is still my best friend and I know that you still love her and I still love Jeremy".

"I am aware of all of that Bonnie", Damon replied.

"Then don't ever kiss me again".

"It definitely won't happen again".

"Good", Bonnie replied staring at him.

"Fantastic", Damon stated staring back at her.

**So we know that their little agreement did not pan out, but it will be interesting to see how they got to a point where they **_**want**_** to be together despite the Gilbert Factor. Stay tuned **

**Please show your love/like for this chapter. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Well, well, well…TVD has really given us Bamon fans a gift and have really awakened my fanfic writing heart, so let's go! Thank you for the support, messages and reviews. **

**Disclaimer: CW owns all of this. **

_Present Mystic Falls_

Damon looked down as the sunlight shone down on Bonnie's sleeping form next to him. She was facing him with her eyes closed and she had a slight smirk on her face. She looked relaxed, without a care in the world and it reminded him what it was like to be back in the Other Mystic Falls. As he caressed her cheek softly with his thumb, it was almost as if he felt like this was just a temporary state of bliss.

He often wondered when he stood in a room with both Elena and Bonnie how he reached this point. How could he be standing in the room with the girl that he had dreamed about for years. The girl that he betrayed his brother for and felt as if he had an all consuming love with and only want to be with that girl's best friend? When had things changed so much that the best friend of that girl who he couldn't stand a year ago, was the one that he wanted to be with. The one that made his heart swell at times when she looked at him with those green eyes and pursed her lips. Never in a million years did he think that he would end up like this, but as he lay next to her—he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

He moved strands of her hair out of her face causing her to stir, but her eyes never opened as she turned away from him. She was exhausted after their night. It had been a week since Elena had been shot by the hunter and the entire gang was on alert. They spent days looking for traces or clues of the hunter and the nights were spent with Damon sneaking to Bonnie's apartment to spend time with her.

They were still sneaking around. Bonnie had convinced him Elena and Jeremy would be too hurt if they told them now. They needed some time to pass before they told their friends. Caroline still shot him daggers—he could handle her and Stefan just looked at him with guilty eyes most of the time. As much as he wanted to alleviate Stefan's guilt, he couldn't. There were times at night when he was lying next to Bonnie, she would be fast asleep and there would be silence all around and he would think of a moment when he would be sitting at the kitchen table with Giuseppe talking about everything and yet talking about nothing. He missed those moments and he ached to have them again. The only thing that kept him sane in this new reality was Bonnie. She was one the one bright light in this entire experience. She understood what it was like to live in that world; a world where they were happy and they got to know each other in ways that they never known each other before; not just physically, but also emotionally. Damon laid back down and wrapped his arm around Bonnie pulling her closer to him. He kissed her on her shoulder as her body melded into his and he closed his eyes.

SSSSSS

After Damon left, Bonnie went into the bathroom to start her shower. She couldn't deny that a part of her felt so much better about being back with Damon spending his nights with her and just being the way they _were_. Although, she still felt guilty every time she looked at Elena or Jeremy, as more time passed she began to feel better about it. She knew that she had to tell Elena soon, but every time she thought of exactly what she could say to her—she never thought it sounded right. Bonnie stood looking into the mirror following her shower wrapped in her towel. She had done this many mornings since she came back to _this_ Mystic Falls.

She wiped the condensation from the mirror and looked at herself in the mirror, "Elena…it just sorta happened…I mean, I know that Damon and I never liked each other much before but time away…it changed our feelings…it changed _us_", Bonnie practiced, "yeah…how does that sound to you, Bonnie?" she chuckled humorlessly as she began to dry her hair walking out of the bathroom.

As she padded into her bedroom, she heard knocking on her apartment door. It had to be Caroline, she had taken to dropping by unexpectedly ever since the day she came to tell Bonnie about Elena being shot. Bonnie was sure she suspected something was going on, but Caroline never mentioned it.

Bonnie opened the door to find Hudson on the other side. She hadn't seen him in days—which was fine with her, but the first time seeing him again while she was in a towel, wasn't the best thing she could have imagined.

"Oh Bonnie, sorry did I catch you at the wrong time?" he asked looking at her from head to toe.

She tightened the towel around her body, "Umm…kind of…is something wrong?"

"Not exactly, I just wanted to know if you could help me with something…but since you were in the middle of something, I can come back", he replied quickly.

"If you're going to be home for awhile, I will come over after I get dressed".

Hudson's face changed slightly into a relieved look, "Actually, I'm going out…umm…I will come see you another time".

"Ok", Bonnie said.

"Ok", Hudson replied as Bonnie slowly closed the door.

Hudson turned and walked over to his apartment closing the door behind him as his cell phone began to ring, "Yeah", he answered.

"Have you done it yet?"

"No, these things take time. I had to lay low for a couple of days, they are looking for me".

"You can not let her continue to interfere in our plans, I give you the tool to get rid of her and you will do it".

"I understand that, but…"

"Hudson, I paid you to complete a job. I want every vampire in Mystic Falls dead and anyone who interferes in that needs to be taken care of, including that Bennett witch", and with that last line, the phone went dead.

Hudson turned to the door and then bent down to his bag removing a knife.

_Other Mystic Falls-Three Months Ago_

Bonnie stared down at the slightly burnt grilled cheese sandwich in front of her in disgust, "Umm…am I supposed to eat this?" she wrinkled her nose pushing the plate away.

"While Giuseppe's in Philadelphia for that conference, he said that I have to be a good host to you and that means cooking your breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, I made you pancakes and now there's your lunch…eat", Damon said pushing the plate towards her.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Yes I would, but I have to go to class", she replied slipping off one of the kitchen stools and grabbing her bag.

"You really like that class huh?" Damon asked picking at the untouched grilled cheese sandwich.

Bonnie searched her bag for her brushes, "I do", she shrugged, "it helps me focus on other things than missing everyone, you know".

"But you've never shown me any of your paintings", Damon replied.

Bonnie looked up at him, "Why would I do that?"

"Because you've been doing this for a couple of weeks now and I'm kind of interested to see what you spend all of those hours a day doing".

Bonnie shrugged, "They're not any good and Damon, I honestly don't need your criticism".

"Who says I would criti…"

"Bonnie!" Greta called from the foyer.

"I have to go…there's some guests coming today, try to be nice", Bonnie said.

"Whatever", Damon said as Greta entered the kitchen.

The first time Greta entered the bed and breakfast, Damon felt a pang of guilt. The brief memory he had of the witch was snapping her neck, but to see her walking around and giving him googly eyes freaked him out a little. He wasn't sure if he had grown a conscience, but seeing how young Greta Martin was and how vibrant she seemed—made him feel like crap every time she entered a room.

"Hi Damon", Greta smiled brightly.

"Hi Greta", Damon smirked.

"And on that note, let's go", Bonnie said pulling Greta out of the kitchen and out of the boarding house.

As Greta started her car, she shook her head with a grin spread across her face, "What?" Bonnie asked.

"I don't understand Bonnie, he is gorgeous and you two live in that house together and nothing…absolutely nothing?" she turned to Bonnie.

Bonnie flashed back to the kiss over a month ago and it stirred something inside of her that she pushed down deeply, "It's complicated".

"Doesn't seem complicated…he's single, your single..."

"We're not single", Bonnie answered before she could think.

Greta raised an eyebrow, "I haven't heard you speak about a boyfriend".

Bonnie sighed, "It's just really complicated. Either way, Damon and I are just friends and that's all that we can ever be".

Greta shrugged, "Then would you mind if I asked Damon out one night?"

Bonnie looked at Greta. She wanted to say no…Elena was still out there somewhere and Damon still loved her, but the truth was…they were here and never going back to their old lives and besides, Damon wouldn't say yes to Greta anyway.

"No…go ahead and don't say I didn't warn you", Bonnie warned.

"Noted", Greta grinned as Bonnie felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

SSSSSS

Damon entered Bonnie's room to throw her jacket that she insisted on leaving in the living room. For a judgey little woman, she could be messy. He threw her jacket on the bed as something caught his eye in the corner. There were two canvases in the corner near the wardrobe. He looked over his shoulder. The witch had refused to show him any of her 'works of art' and he was curious. He thought that they were _bonding_ and she was keeping secrets. He walked over to the wardrobe and picked up one of the canvases. He walked over to her bed and sat down staring at the canvas. It was a painting of Elena, Caroline and Bonnie and it was pretty damn good.

Damon stared at the three girls, but he focused on Elena. Even in a painting, she was gorgeous. She was smiling and it was a smile that he had never seen. Even though it was Bonnie's view of Elena, it was a smile that was truly happy. He then focused on Bonnie, she was in the middle of the three girls and her eyes were bright. She was painting her friends. She was painting them in simpler times. The other painting was of Jeremy, but it was not nearly as good as the picture of Elena, Caroline and Bonnie.

It had been a couple of weeks since they even mentioned their previous lives. It was as if they decided silently to almost bury it down somewhere deep inside because it was too painful to think about. The truth was, as much as he enjoyed getting to know Giuseppe again in a different way, he wished that he could share this new Giuseppe with Stefan.

Then there was Elena, he was a better man here. She deserved the man that he was here in this Mystic Falls and not the one he was previously.

He sighed before lifting the canvas up and placed it back between the wardrobe before heading out of Bonnie's room.

SSSSSS

After checking in the new guests, who thankfully did not consist of any of Damon's former victims, Damon settled into the office to handle some of the paperwork that Giuseppe informed him was very important to complete each day.

"Well you are really taking on the role of son of Giuseppe, aren't you?" Shelia stated entering the office.

Damon smirked and leaned back in his chair, "Well Shelia, what brings you to the bed and breakfast today?"

"Bonnie asked me to pick her up some new paint brushes".

"Ahh".

"So enjoying yourself?"

"Sitting here talking to you?" Damon stood up and smirked looking down into Sheila's stern face, "who would not enjoy that?"

"I doubt that, I meant being Salvatore brother you always wanted to be".

Damon folded his arms, "What is this place? Is this it…are we ever going back?"

"You died".

"Yes, I've died before. You know what I am asking you. Is this the end for us, do we just continue to live this life forever?" Damon asked, "is there no going back?"

"Why? Does that matter? Does it influence how you live your life here?" Sheila asked.

Damon rolled his eyes, "Why is everything a riddle with you?"

"Because Damon, I want to know why does it matter. This is your home now, there is your life and from what I hear from Giuseppe, this worked out for you well".

Damon stared at Sheila for a few moments, "I'm feeling guilty here".

Shelia raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "You feel guilty…impossible".

Damon squinted and shook his head, "I _can_ feel guilty alright. I just wish that my brother was here and Elena".

Shelia leaned against the desk, "Well I guess that in order for you to have this life, you had to give up your other life…but this is it Damon, make it count".

Damon nodded as Shelia headed towards the door.

"She doesn't talk about home anymore", Damon called after her, "she doesn't say that she misses any of them".

"Then maybe my granddaughter has decided to finally stop being so selfless".

"I don't think that's your granddaughter's MO at all".

"And yours was never to care about anyone else's feelings", Shelia replied simply, "please let Bonnie know I dropped off her brushes".

Damon watched as Shelia walked out of the office and he glanced over at a picture of he and Giuseppe took during their fishing trip. He picked up the picture in the frame and for a moment, he saw Stefan in the picture and just like that it faded away.

_Present Mystic Falls_

"I still feel weird and I am starting to get cabin fever", Elena complained as she and Bonnie stood in the kitchen of Elena's house.

"Well until we find out who shot you, you need to be careful—you almost died", Caroline replied, "it affected you differently and we don't know why".

Elena rolled her eyes and then smiled slightly, "The only thing that came out of this is Damon coming to see me, he came to me when it happened and I could tell that he still loves me".

Bonnie felt her stomach twist as she glanced up at Elena while Caroline stared at Bonnie.

"I mean, I know that he says that his feelings have changed, but I don't see any indication that they have. There's no one else, I mean…we would know", Elena said placing her a strand of hair behind her ear, "I just…I don't know".

"I noticed that Stefan never left your side either", Bonnie spoke up.

Elena nodded, "I was surprised. I mean after everything that happened, he still came to my side. I remember him carrying me in my door after I was shot".

Bonnie then noticed Caroline focusing on her shoes. Something was going on here.

"So Bonnie, I notice that you look better", Elena smiled, "Happier. I know that coming back here was hard, but it seems like you are getting used to it".

Bonnie shrugged, "I'm not sure if I'm happier, but I'm getting there".

"Could it be that new neighbor that you went out with a couple of weeks ago, is he making you happier", Elena grinned nudging Caroline, who said nothing.

"We're just neighbors, although…", Bonnie began and then shook her head, "it's nothing".

"What?" Caroline asked.

"He came to my apartment this morning, he wanted me to help him with something. He never said what, but it was just weird. I can't put my finger on _why_ it was weird, it just was".

"Hmm…maybe he really wants to date you and he's nervous".

"Maybe", Bonnie shrugged, "but it seemed like more…" she began as the back door opened and Jeremy walked in with a petite redhead, he made eye contact with Bonnie and smiled, "Hello everyone, this is McCullen. McCullen, this is my sister Elena and her friends, Caroline and uh…Bonnie".

McCullen smiled and then turned to Jeremy, "I will see you later Jay", she replied placing her hands on his cheeks and kissing him deeply.

Elena cleared her throat and Caroline turned her head as Bonnie stood staring at Jeremy and this redhead kissing. She didn't feel jealous, but she definitely felt something.

McCullen let Jeremy go and then smiled, "I will see you…nice meeting you all", she replied before leaving out of the backdoor.

There was silence in the kitchen for a few moments as Jeremy smirked walking past them, "Excuse me", Bonnie said following after him and up the stairs.

She was on his heels as he headed towards his room and she stood in the doorway, "Jeremy, that display in the kitchen…"

"What…you have a problem with it?" he asked looking through his phone.

"No, I don't have a problem with it. You are free to kiss and do whomever you want, but I do want to clear the air between us".

"What is there to say Bonnie, I missed you…I grieved you…when you came back, it was the best day of my life and then you played along with everything for a few weeks and then you dumped me and I still don't know why".

Bonnie gripped onto the doorknob, "I died Jeremy. I died. I died…I came back to life…I became an anchor…then I died again and you know what, I can't continue to walk around on eggshells around you. I can't continue to allow you to make me feel bad for breaking up with you when it was virtually the only option I had. The truth is, when I came back…when I woke up in that coffin, I felt different. This is all different to me. You are different to me. My feelings are different. I won't apologize any more for doing what I needed to do. You can be angry at me, you can throw as many girls in my face as you want but it won't make me regret breaking up with you because I did that for me and no one else and I am happy with my decision", she replied turning around and walking away from Jeremy's room. She hated saying all of those things to him, but she had to. She had to start doing what she promised her Grams she would do.

_Other Mystic Falls-Three Months Ago_

After Greta blew her off following art class, Bonnie decided to go to the Mystic Grille for dinner. Ever since the kiss with Damon a couple of weeks ago, the less _alone_ time she spent with him, the better. It wasn't as if she still thought about the kiss, it was just weird. She couldn't describe her feelings at all about it other than weird.

Every time her mind drifted to the thought of that kiss, she thought about Elena. Even though she could never for the life of her understand how Elena picked Damon over Stefan, she still thought about Damon being Elena's boyfriend. Three months had drifted by and they were settling into this new life, but there were still times when she would remember or something would jog her memory and she would remember a conversation or event that brought her right back to the Mystic Falls where Elena, Caroline and Jeremy were. There were times at night when she missed them desperately, but mentioning it just made it hurt more. But then there were times when she didn't think about them…she didn't think of that Mystic Falls…she was able to relax and laugh and be normal. She almost forgot what it was like, but now that she was starting to remember again—she was starting to lose her need to return to her previously life and she almost hated herself for it.

"Is this seat taken?" a voice that she remembered and brought chills down her spine said from above.

Bonnie looked up slowly and came face to face with Kol Mikelson. She found herself involuntarily reaching for the knife on the table, "Whoa…whoa…I'm not going to harm you, I was just trying to flirt and I guess I was pretty bad at it", he smiled crookedly, "I'm Kol…Kol Mikelson"

Bonnie tried to push down her uneasiness—she had to remember, this was a different world. However, she had no idea why or how Kol got in it.

"Umm, I'm sorry…you can take a seat and I'm Bonnie", Bonnie said, not really sure why she said it, especially to one of The Originals…who she had a hand in seeing murdered.

"So…umm…I take classes at the community center and I saw you a couple of times coming out of the art room, I always wanted to speak but you were always with your friend".

"Oh…"

"So I guess what I'm asking right now, is whether you want to have dinner with me right now", he replied.

Bonnie blinked a couple of times, "Umm…sure".

She wasn't sure what this Kol was like, but she couldn't help but be curious. After placing their orders, Bonnie sat back in the booth, "So what classes do you take at the community center?"

Kol smirked, "Please don't make me say".

"What?" Bonnie asked.

He leaned forward, "Promise not to tell anyone?"

"I won't say a word".

"Yoga…my parents believe that it would center me, they're kind of new age", Kol shrugged.

"Wow…interesting".

"Thank you for not laughing, I really appreciate that".

Bonnie nodded as she sat back and looked at Kol sitting across from her. She was shocked to even see another vampire here, especially one of them as old as Kol was.

"So did you order yet?" Kol asked.

"Umm…", Bonnie began, but noticed the restaurant door open with Damon and Greta walking in laughing together. She thought Greta was going home to decompress or whatever she said.

Damon caught Bonnie's eye and then looked over at the person sitting across from her and she could see his eyebrows come together as he and Greta made a beeline over to the table.

"Bonnie…hello! Who's your friend?" he asked raising an eyebrow at Bonnie.

"Kol Mikelson", Bonnie replied through clenched teeth.

Damon looked down, "So it is…mind if we join you?" Damon asked plopping down in the booth followed reluctantly by Greta, who flashed a guilty look at Bonnie.

Bonnie stared at Damon temporarily forgetting that Kol, one of The Originals had somehow infiltrated this perfect little world, she was more focused on the fact that Damon was on a date with Greta, when Elena was barely a distant memory—it was just odd.

SSSSSS

The dinner was tense and whatever relaxation Bonnie felt when she first stepped in the Mystic Grille was over and done with. She was fuming as she watched Damon flirt with Greta and prod Kol about the most ridiculous things.

By the time Damon got up mentioning that he needed to take Greta home, Bonnie was grateful. When they disappeared out the door, Kol turned to Bonnie, "That was weird", he chuckled.

"Extremely", Bonnie deadpanned.

"This was not what I expected, but I wanted to know if you would like to maybe meet up somewhere…somewhere your friend and his _date_ can't find us?" Kol smirked.

Bonnie opened her mouth as he thoughts went to Jeremy, "Just to hang out as friends?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

He hesitated and then nodded, "As friends".

She nodded as he gave her his number on a napkin. She had to admit she was curious about Kol in this world, she wasn't sure why—but she was.

SSSSS

When Bonnie walked into the Bed and Breakfast following the events in the Mystic Grille, she noticed the guests going upstairs as Damon entered from the kitchen. "Bonnie…how was your evening?" Damon smirked.

She marched over, grabbed him by his arm and pulled him into the living room closing the door behind them. "What were you doing tonight!" she seethed staring at him.

"You mean…interrupting your date with one of our mortal enemies on the other side?" Damon smirked.

"It wasn't a date! I was sitting there and he walked over and sat down…he started talking to me, that was it".

"That's not what it looked like to me", Damon sung.

"What about you…what are you doing with Greta?" Bonnie asked suspiciously.

"What…she came over here, offered to take me to dinner and I could not tell her no. That wouldn't be right for one of the town's most affluent businessmen".

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "I can't believe you", she scoffed.

"What _exactly_ does that mean?"

"_Elena_", Bonnie said simply, "she's barely a memory and you are already looking for a new what…girlfriend…conquest…what? You kiss me a couple of weeks ago, now you're dating Greta? She doesn't deserve to be some stand in for Elena, Damon".

Damon turned his back to Bonnie walking over to the drink cart and began to pour himself a drink.

"I mean, I know that its only been a couple of months, but you are replacing her already…how can you do that? How can you move on so easily…how can…"

"What do you want me to do Bonnie!?" Damon shouted, "we have been here for months! There is no going back! It's done! We said goodbye and we need to move on!" he moved closer to her with his chest heaving, "yes, when I think about Elena, I miss her—but Bonnie, I've lived for a long time and I've had to say goodbye to many people who I care about—believe it or not—but we are not going back to Mystic Falls! It's over, it's done…we died!"

Bonnie felt like every word he spoke was a slap to her face.

"I am moving on. I am dealing with the life that I have now and not the one that was left behind. I am going to live right now and I am moving on. You need to do the same, instead of drawing pictures of the past".

Bonnie gasped as she felt as if Damon had shot her. When she first started art class, the teacher told her that her paintings and pictures of bowls of fruit held no personality. He told her to think about something that brought emotion out of her and she just began drawing and she ended up with a picture of Elena, herself and Caroline. The picture was pretty lifelike and sometimes, when she was alone and when she felt like she needed someone to talk to—she would talk to the picture. It was childish and a little weird, but it was just something she did when she was lonely. Had Damon spied on her doing that? She was so embarrassed that the lump that formed in her throat left her unable to speak.

She brushed past him and rushed out of the room, she rushed into her room and slammed the door locking it behind her. She felt as if she could set the entire room on fire at that moment. She had always hated Damon, but never more than she did at that very moment. He had taken something so private that she could barely believe that it was real.

"Bonnie…open the door", Damon said on the other side.

She ignored him.

"Bonnie, open the door or I will open it".

She continued to ignore him.

Suddenly she saw the doorknob turning and the door opening slowly. She stood up as Damon entered the room, holding the key up, "I asked nicely", he replied.

She stared at him with daggers in her eyes.

"Looks won't kill me, I'm already dead", he smirked.

"Please Damon…just get out…", she said in a voice that immediately removed the smirk from his face. It was a sound of resignation and sadness.

He paused in the doorway. All of the fun and games and the banter went out of the window at that moment and when he saw the tears in her eyes, he felt something soften inside of him. He had no idea that his words downstairs would have this effect on her, "Bonnie", he replied gently.

"Damon, can you please just leave", she said wiping her eyes, "please".

He nodded and started walking towards the door. When he reached the door, he stopped, "Bonnie, I didn't mean to…uh…I was doing our usual banter, you know…"

She didn't say a word to him as he moved closer to her, "I honestly didn't know that you would react this way. I didn't think…"

"Yes, why would you? You never think about what you say and how I will take it, " she cut him off, "I miss them. I miss them a lot and I feel guilty. I feel guilty that I am starting to believe that this place could be home for me. I feel like I am selfish and I don't want to feel this way, but I do".

Damon moved closer and took a seat next to Bonnie on the bed, "I miss them too. Every day I wish that I could share this Giuseppe with Stefan. I wish that I could show Elena the Damon that I am now and now the one that I was, but I can't", Damon sighed, "this is who I am now and they are not here, they never will be, so I have to move on and so do you".

Bonnie took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for looking at your paintings, I was just curious to see what you spend your time doing", Damon replied.

Bonnie looked over at Damon sitting next to her, "You really are a better Damon here", she replied.

He wrapped his arm around her, "That means I must be a complete angel now", he replied.

Bonnie looked up at him and she felt something weird come over her as they stared at each other. Bonnie almost felt like the room was about to start spinning as she smiled back at Damon and he smiled back at her.

Damon reached out and touched her cheek with his thumb and Bonnie felt weird all over. The seconds that drifted by felt like eternity before she felt his lips on hers. She closed her eyes as her lips met his and somehow they felt together. It was as if her mind her turned off momentarily and she was just in this moment, feeling nothing but the affection and caresses that she as he placed his hands on her cheeks.

She pushed everything out of her mind at that every moment and allowed his kisses to take hers somewhere. With her eyes closed, she threw her head back and became lost in the kisses until she felt herself being lowered to the bed. She opened her eyes and realized what she was truly doing and who she was kissing and she immediately broke the kiss, "Damon…we have to stop…we have to…stop", she said pushing him up.

Damon blinked and looked down at Bonnie with her flushed cheeks and her eyes wide and then he realized, "That…how did that happen?" he asked.

"You should go to your room", she replied.

Damon blinked, "Umm…yeah…I need to uh…go", he replied jumping up and rushing out of her room.

Bonnie sat up and touched her lips as a feeling of guilt came over. She had kissed Elena's boyfriend and kissed one of Jeremy's biggest enemies and she didn't understand why she didn't feel repulsed or even evil, she just felt guilty.

_Present Mystic Falls_

Bonnie sat on her couch looking through her grimoire and she chuckled, "And pray tell what is so funny Goodie Bennett", Damon smirked on the other end of the couch.

"I just remembered about that night that you came and inserted yourself into that little dinner that I had with Kol", Bonnie giggled.

"Oh the moment that you realized that you were hot for me", Damon said lifting his eyebrows up.

She rolled her eyes, "That is the furthest from the truth".

"Ahh…I begged to differ. It was the first time I kissed you that you didn't want to set me on fire, I would say that you were hot for me".

"I honestly, don't know what I was honestly. I was…confused. I missed Elena, Caroline and Jeremy…and it just got confusing. I can't explain it, it was a mixture of feelings".

"And then you avoided me for a couple of days".

"Well it wasn't easy to deal with what happened".

"I know, I'm very irresistible".

"Whatever", she rolled her eyes.

"That's why you are fine with me sneaking over here late at night to spend some quality time with you", Damon said moving closer to her.

Bonnie smiled as he closed the space between them with a kiss.

Bonnie moaned as Damon deepened the kiss, "Mmm, I wanted to take a shower…"

"Then we can do that first and then…", Damon wiggled his eyebrow.

She giggled as he attacked her neck with kisses.

"I'm going to start the water, join me", he stated getting up from the couch.

"Give me a minute to lock up and I will join you".

"You better, you know I use up all of the hot water", Damon winked as he stood up and headed down the hallway.

Bonnie stood up shaking her head as she heard the water start in the bathroom and he began to sing 'Whatta Man'. Only Damon would start singing a 90's tune while he undressed. She walked over to the door to put the chain on and was met with a knock on the other side. Bonnie looked through the keyhole and noticed Hudson standing on the other side of the door.

She looked towards the bathroom and sighed opening the door.

"Hi Hudson", she smiled, "what brings you by this late?"

Hudson looked around uneasily, "Umm…hey Bonnie".

"Hudson, what's wrong?"

He looked back at her with a look of regret, "Bonnie, I'm sorry…but I have to, you're getting in the way", he stated before taking out a long knife.

"Hudson, what is…", she began, but then she felt the cold steel enter her stomach.

"I'm sorry", Hudson said again before taking the knife out of her stomach and rushing away from her door.

Bonnie looked down at the blood running through her fingers, "Da…Dam…Damon…", she gasped as she fell to the floor.

Damon stood in the shower lathering soap when he thought he heard something, "Damon…", he heard Bonnie say faintly.

He turned the water off and listened.

"Damon…", he heard her say again.

He hopped out of the shower and rushed into the living room as he felt like the world was disappearing around him, when he saw her lying on the floor in her blood—he finally realized that this _was_ hell.

**Well Hudson made his move…many things happened…please show your love or like. **

**Thank you….**


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